Eminent citizens yesterday suggested the search committee disclose the names of its picks for the Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners before sending the nominations to the president.They also suggested all the names submitted by political parties, individuals, and various professional bodies for the appointments be made public.
Briefing the media after the meetings, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said the search panel received a total of 329 names from political parties, professional bodies and individuals.Among those, 136 names were proposed by political parties, 40 by professional bodies, and 34 by individuals, he said.
After its formation on February 5, the committee held its first meeting the following day and sought names from political parties and individuals for the EC appointments.The panel also invited some 60 eminent citizens of the country to take their suggestions and proposals on the appointments.Twenty-five of them participated in the meetings yesterday. The committee will meet other eminent personalities at 4:00pm today at the same venue.
The six-member search committee was formed under the “Appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act-2022.”
The Cabinet Division is giving secretarial support to the panel, which has to propose 10 names to the president by February 24. The president will finally pick five for the EC posts, according to the law.