The Election Commission (EC) has proposed a simple criteria for candidates seeking to contest seats in the national elections: they must be university graduates.
The commission included this requirement in the draft amendment of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), 1972.
The draft is awaiting the final nod from the EC. If it is approved at the next commission meeting, it will be sent to the ministry concerned for further approval.
Presently, there are only two prerequisites to competing for a seat: candidates must be citizens of Bangladesh and at least 25 years old.
The draft proposed the inclusion of a subsection in Section 12 of the ordinance, which outlines the criteria for candidacy. Under this subsection, it has been stated that a person cannot be a candidate for parliamentary elections if they have not completed their graduation.
Seeking anonymity, an EC official said that since members of parliaments are lawmakers, they need to be highly educated. If the chief of a governing body of the primary school is required to be a graduate, MPs must be at least equally qualified for the greater good of the nation.
The latest move would signal a shift away from international standards, with even countries such as the US, UK, and India not requiring educational qualifications as a prerequisite to run for legislative positions.
The Local Government Reform Commission, formed after the fall of the Awami League regime last year, wanted to frame a similar provision based on education status for selection to local government bodies.
However, this proposal faced tremendous backlash, with critics saying it would lead to an erosion of political rights.
Overhaul targets loopholes in election process
Overall, EC officials said they have sought to bring around 48 changes, aimed at ensuring greater transparency and accountability in the electoral process, especially in light of previous concerns regarding unopposed victories and limited EC control over the administration during polls.
For example, Section 19 of the ordinance allows a lone candidate to be declared an MP for a seat if they are unopposed.
To address this, the commission proposed to introduce a "No Vote" option for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. Under the amendment, if the "No Vote" option receives more ballots than a lone contender, a re-election will be held in that constituency.
The commission also proposed several changes relating to submitting nomination forms and related documents.
At present, a candidate can contest seats from three constituencies at a time. However, the EC proposed to reduce it to two seats, adding that if anyone submits a nomination for more than two seats, his candidacy for every seat would be repealed.
The EC also proposed that aspirants submit their latest income tax return copy, stating his/her income sources in the country and abroad. It should include all his/her possessions and account for wealth outside of Bangladesh.
Another change stated that parties could continue to form alliances, but candidates must contest using the electoral symbol of its own party only.
Many officials said this decision was taken in light of previous experiences. For example, candidates like Rashed Khan Menon from the Workers' Party of Bangladesh and Hasanul Haq Inu of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal filed their nominations using symbols that differed from the party's official one.
This created a problem in documentation, officials said.
EC's push to bolster its strength
To bolster its authority during the election period, the EC has also recommended several provisions. For example, the EC proposed clauses which state that its decisions would take precedence over the government's.
Another notable proposal is to bring top administrative and police officials under the commission's jurisdiction 45 days before the announcement of the election schedule.
Another clause states that if any government officials defies the EC's instructions, the commission can take disciplinary action and file confidential reports against them.
The commission also wants to restore its power to postpone elections in the whole constituency in case of large-scale disruptions.
Contacted, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud said that the EC is reviewing the RPO. "We are willing to keep all the recommendations of the Reform Commission that can be implemented. We are also giving priority to the opinions of the Consensus Commission," he said.
According to Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) data, in the 12th national parliament, some 82.60% of the candidates were graduates. It was 81% in the 11th national parliament.
Professor KM Mahiuddin, who teaches political science at Jahangirnagar University, said the eligibility for parliamentary membership should be open to all.
He said as the number of educated people is increasing countrywide, it would not be a problem to find multiple graduate candidates for a seat. But the difference it would make might be minimal.
If this is implemented, youths who leave college for politics would not be eligible to run for office, he said, adding that the move would be 'controversial'.
Central Associate Coordinator for Shujan, Nasar Amin said when the Electoral Reform Commission gathered public opinion, many demanded keeping a provision of minimum educational qualification for MPs.
But the commission did not propose this because educational qualification should not be an obstacle.
Besides formal education, a person can acquire the qualifications to become a candidate in various ways, he said. "If degrees are a requirement, we may lose many of the potential members to the parliament. It should be open to all."
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