Nine parties served show-cause notices

The Election Commission has served show-cause notices to nine registered political parties as they did not reply to the commission's query if they are respecting the conditions of the respective party registration.

The ruling Awami League and main opposition in the parliament Jatiya Party, however, got 30 more working days to reply, said the commission officials.

The EC sent letters to 40 registered political parties on November 31 asking them to update the commission whether they are fulfilling the conditions of registration by 15 working days.

“We have issued show-cause notices to nine political parties as they did not give any reply to our query and did not seek any time. We have asked them why action would not be taken against them as they failed to reply within the stipulated timeframe. They have to reply within 15 working days,” said Helal Uddin Ahmed, acting secretary to the EC.

He also said 10 political parties had sought time and they were given 30 working days.

Election officials said Bangladesher Workers Party, Bangladesher Communist Party, Tarikat Federation, Gonotantri Party, Gonoforum, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal and some other political parties did not give any reply to the commission.

According to EC roadmap, EC has responsibility to check whether the registered political parties have been operating in the light of registration conditions.

The registration process started in 2008 and 42 parties have registered so far. However, registration of Freedom Party was scrapped in 2009 and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami's registration became illegal in a court verdict in 2013.