Electoral System Reform Commission head Dr Badiul Alam Majumder has said everybody wants a free, fair and impartial election through which the country`s democratic system stands on its own feet.

"It`s a hope and aspiration of the masses. It`s also our aspiration. Our duty is to make recommendations on the reforms of electoral system. It`s the jurisdiction of the Election Commission (EC) to look into who will take part in the election and who will not, who are eligible and who are not. It`s beyond our jurisdiction," he said.

He made the remarks after joining an opinion-sharing meeting with the stakeholders on the reforms of electoral process in Chattogram on Sunday (December 22).

Held at the Chattogram district administration`s conference room, the meeting was attended by the representative of different political parties, government agencies, NGOs, university teachers, students and civil society.

Badiul Alam Majumder said the officials of the administration don`t want to be used anymore in the elections like the past. They have shown about a free and fair election. The proposals for reforming the electoral system will be given to the interim government by December 31 next. In the proposals, issues like the empowerment of the Election Commission, candidates` educational qualifications, exercising democracy inside the political parties etc will get priority.

Asked whether the next elections would be under Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), Badiul Alam said question doesn`t arise at all for holding the elections through EVMs. "It won`t happen anymore. Even, the Election Commission has opposed it. Our position is also the same."

He said though the Election Commission runs according to laws formulated much earlier, it is not conflicting with the Electoral System Reform Commission. There is no problem to hold a free, fair and impartial election if competent individuals take responsibilities.

Electoral System Reform Commission`s member local government expert Professor Tofail Ahmed, former additional secretary of the Election Commission Jesmine Tuli, election expert Dr Md Abdul Alim, Chittagong deputy commissioner Farida Khanam, election officials, senior officials from different government departments were present.