The chief election commissioner, MA Aziz, on Thursday sought the cooperation of the government to ensure the commission’s authority to cancel the candidature of an errant contender in a general election and the power, as enjoyed by the High Court, to punish any person for contempt or electoral law violation.

Besides, he also sought cooperation for ensuring financial independence of the commission and making the commission’s secretariat independent.

The CEC made the call to the government for cooperation when four ministers and the political advisor to the prime minister sat for a dialogue, sponsored by the commission, on the electoral roll.

‘We want to reinstate two articles as these are necessary to empower the commission to do its job: financial independence of the commission and an independent secretariat for it,’ said MA Aziz.

Aziz told reporters that he would place a proposal to the government requesting revival of article 91(D) and 93(B) of the Representation of the People’s Order, 1972. ‘We want the rules restored for the effective empowerment of the Election Commission.’

The commission, earlier, got such power after promulgating an ordinance amending the Representation of the People’s Order 1972, just prior to the general election in 2001, and again lost the power as the then president, Shahabuddin Ahmad, in another ordinance repealed it in August during the regime of the Caretaker Government following pressure from the major political parties, mainly from the BNP and the Awami League.

MK Anwar, in response to the demand, assured the commission that the government would examine the proposal. If the proposal is in the interest of the people then his party will also raise the same demand, said Anwar.