3 KCC Voting Centres: EC starts probing irregularities

The three-member committee formed by the Election Commission begins its investigation today to identify offenders and officials responsible for voting irregularities that led to suspension of voting at three polling stations in Khulna City Corporation (KCC) polls.

Led by Khandaker Mizanur Rahman, joint secretary of the EC secretariat, the body will talk to presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, polling officers, law enforcement officials, executive magistrates and polling agents to know what exactly happened at the three polling stations, according to an EC circular.

The committee has also been asked to know about the role of respective election officials, members of law enforcement agencies and executive magistrates during the incident.  

Abdul Baten, chief coordinator of KCC polls, told The Daily Star that the team would investigate the overall irregularities in the elections.

“Print and electronic media reported various irregularities in the KCC polls. The investigation team will try to find what actually happened,” he added.

The body is scheduled to submit its report to the EC by Sunday.

Two other members of the committee are Forhad Hossain, deputy secretary of the EC secretariat, and Shah Alam, senior assistant secretary of the EC secretariat.

Meanwhile, the EC has also asked the returning officer and assistant returning officers of the KCC polls to submit an inquiry report based on media reports about voting irregularities in the May 15 KCC polls.

They have been told to submit the report to the EC by Thursday.

Yunus Ali, returning officer of the KCC election, told this newspaper that they would start their work today.

Awami League mayoral candidate Talukder Abdul Khaleque won the KCC polls, defeating his nearest contender Nazrul Islam Monju of the BNP.

But the election was marred by irregularities such as showdown by AL men in and around polling stations, stuffing ballot boxes and driving out polling agents of rival candidates.

In the KCC polls, several polling centres saw unrealistic turnouts in between 80 to 99.94 percent while the overall turnout was less than 63 percent.  

[Our Khulna correspondent contributed to this story.]