‘Will this help EC hold fair polls?’

If the Election Commission cannot ensure free and fair elections, it could have at the very least prevented the process of "a potentially fraudulent polls", said Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik.

In his reaction to the announcement of the election schedule, he said the EC needed to ensure that the an atmosphere for free and fair elections existed.

"The EC has a mandate to hold free and fair elections... Will this announcement help it achieve its goal?" said Majumdar. The election commissioners are appointed to make sure the right environment prevails and, as it currently stands, the EC will not be fulfilling its constitutional obligation, he said.

The EC could have said that under the circumstances it cannot ensure free and fair elections, he said. "They could have gone to the court and sought direction."

Majumdar said, "Will holding this election help the government get out of the legitimacy crisis it is in? Will it strengthen our democratic processes or serve the interests of the ruling party?"