Political parties will have to submit their ratified constitutions by January 24, 2010 to the Election Commission to get registered as the Jatiya Sangsad Monday passed the Representation of the People Order (Second Amendment) Bill 2009. The House approved the bill by voice vote rejecting an amendment proposal moved by an independent lawmaker to extend the time for six months. Law, justice and parliamentary affairs minister Shafique Ahmed sought passage of the bill after a brief discussion.

Though Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led opposition alliance has been boycotting parliament over a seating arrangement row, a few BNP lawmakers had submitted proposals seeking public opinion on the bill. But those were not discussed. Independent lawmaker Fazlul Azim proposed extension of deadline to July 24 for political parties to submit ratified constitutions to the EC, a legal obligation for getting registered or keeping earlier registrations valid. But the amendment proposal was rejected.

Requested by the EC, law minister Shafique Ahmed piloted the bill in the House on October 4, pointing out that many of the parties, which had submitted provisional constitutions to qualify for the December 29, 2008 elections, failed to hold their council sessions within the time stipulated by an ordinance promulgated by the past interim government. The EC had earlier given political parties six months' time from the first session of the ninth parliament and the deadline expired on July 24, 2009.

Though the ruling Awami League hurried into holding its council session on the last day to fulfil the legal obligation, main opposition BNP did not comply with it. Senior leaders then said even a year's extension would not be enough for the party to complete formation of hundreds of committees right from the grassroots and set the stage for a national council. However, the party is now preparing for holding its council session in December. Failing to meet the deadline for 'unavoidable circumstances,' a number of political parties applied to the EC for time extension and it proposed one-year extension of the deadline. If any party fails to meet the extended deadline, its registration will stand cancelled, according to the new law.

The bill was earlier sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the law ministry. Opposition BNP member on the committee, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury gave a note of dissent to the provision that stipulates that parties' registration would be cancelled if they fail to submit ratified constitutions within 12 months since the birth of the ninth parliament. He alleged that the provision was targeting the BNP and warned, 'Any attempt to cancel BNP's registration will cause political instability and put the constitutional continuity at risk.'

-New Age