The decision to ban Awami League rests solely with the court and the government, said chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Monday.聽
鈥榃e have no role in this matter. Awami League has been a registered party since 1972. Unless the court or the government imposes a ban, there is no obstacle to the party鈥檚 participation in the elections.鈥�
The chief election commissioner made these remarks during a press briefing held at the Chattogram Circuit House conference room on Monday morning, ahead of a meeting with election officials to discuss voter list updates and聽 preparations for the 13th National Parliamentary Election.
Reiterating the institution鈥檚 independence, CEC Nasir said, 鈥楾he Election Commission operates independently and is under no external pressure. Unlike previous elections, no external forces will be able to influence the commission this time.鈥櫬�
Nasir also pledged to ensure a fair and transparent election, saying, 鈥楾he voter list will be updated within the next six months. This time, the voting process will not repeat past mistakes. Since August 5, a sense of national unity regarding the election has emerged. The forthcoming polls will resemble the fair elections of 1991 and 1996.鈥�
Highlighting irregularities in voter lists, the election commission chief said, 鈥榃e have identified fake voters. Additionally, many deceased individuals remain on the voter list because their relatives did not report their deaths. This issue was exploited in past elections.鈥櫬�
The CEC called for increased efforts to register female voters, acknowledging their lower numbers compared with male voters. 鈥淢edia support is crucial to address this disparity. We need campaigns to encourage women to register as voters and actively participate in the electoral process.鈥�
Chattogram regional election officer Yunus Ali and district election officer Bashir Ahmed, among other officials, were present at the event.
The student-led mass uprising overthrew the Sheikh Hasina regime with her fleeing to India on August 5, leading to the formation of the Professor Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.