Awami League is holding its national council on July 24 to ratify a permanent party constitution to maintain proper legal procedure, not to push any other party into difficulties, said party spokesman Syed Ashraful Islam today.

"It's risky for a large party like Awami League to conduct the council at such short notice. But we have to do it according to the law, not to drop any other party in danger," Ashraf told reporters after attending the first meeting of the party's council preparation committee.

BNP has alleged that AL made an abrupt about-turn on holding its council as part of a "conspiracy" to exclude the main opposition BNP from completing its registration process.

"The ruling Awami League firstly sought six more months for holding its council but later swiftly came to a decision to hold it on July 24," BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain has said, questioning the move on more than one occasion.

Ashraf termed Delwar's comments "frustrating". Ashraf, who is also minister for local government, said, "AL has no problem if any party, including the BNP, asks the EC for an extension of the deadline for holding council and submitting their permanent constitution."

The Election Commission amended electoral laws last year to give political parties until July 25—that is, six months from the first day of parliament—to ratify their permanent constitutions as the final condition of the registration process that began ahead of the ahead of last December's general elections. Parties were registered ahead of the elections with draft constitutions.

The AL in a presidium meeting on Monday, chaired by party president Sheikh Hasina, decided to hold the council on July 24, a day ahead of the Election Commission's deadline for submitting a permanent constitution.

AL's council preparation committee held its first meeting Tuesday at the party president's Dhanmondi office, chaired by presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury. Presidium members Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzaque, Motia Chowdhury, Ataur Rahman were among those present.

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