As the recent Khulna City Corporation elections were marked by “peaceful rigging”, there is no scope to term it free, fair and flawless, Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) said today.

“We feel the Khulna City Corporation elections were a questionable one,” said Dilip Kumar Sarkar, central coordinator of Shujan said at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity.

People’s credibility and confidence that the Election Commission had gained following the Rangpur City Corporation elections is found missing in the KCC elections, Dilip Kumar added.

For some candidates the KCC polling atmosphere was fearful even though there were no noticeable incidents of violence or cases of mass irregularities, Sujan said at the conference.

This is why, voter presence was very low, only 62.19 percent, he said.

Election Commission had no control over the law enforcers, said Shujan President Hafiz Uddin claimed while speaking at the conference.

Almost 10,000 law enforcers were on the field, there was a lot of preparation but still in many cases fake votes were cast in front of police personnel, he added.

Awami League mayor candidate Talukder Abdul Khaleque won the Khulna City Corporation polls held on May 15. The elections were marred by irregularities such as heavy showdown by the ruling party in and around polling stations, ballot stuffing and driving out polling agents of rival group.

Khaleque got 1,74,851 votes while his rival from the BNP Nazrul Islam Monju bagged 1,09,251 votes.