The National Citizen Party (NCP) on Sunday urged the Election Commission (EC) to begin preparations for the parliamentary elections only after the release of the National Consensus Commission’s report. The party emphasised that the future of the current EC members depends on the findings of the report, and advised the Commission to exercise caution in making statements about the upcoming polls before the government announces a clear roadmap.

NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari told the media that his party opposes the current law governing the formation of the Election Commission, and called for structural reforms to establish a new system.

A five-member NCP delegation led by Patwari met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasiruddin at the Election Bhaban. The delegation included Joint Convenor Onik Rai, Khaled Saifullah, Mujahidul Islam Shahin, and Tajnuba Zabin.

The NCP expressed concern over the EC discussing the roadmap for the next national elections before any formal statement from Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus. They submitted at least ten demands to the CEC, including: requiring nomination papers to be submitted in person, allowing more time for party registration and its renewal, and disqualifying candidates who are loan defaulters or submit incorrect affidavit information.

During the two-hour meeting, the delegation discussed issues relating to the EC, electoral law reforms, and broader political reforms. They stressed the importance of implementing the Consensus Commission’s report once it is published.

After the meeting, Nasiruddin Patwari said, “As a constitutional institution, the EC has made statements that we haven’t even heard from our Chief Adviser. We’ve heard about a possible roadmap from the EC, not from the government. So, we advise the EC to be cautious in its communications.”

Commenting on the Chief Adviser’s remark about holding elections between December and June, Patwari said, “They can begin working on it, but we remain skeptical because this statement came without any direction from an official roadmap or government decision.”

He reiterated that restructuring the EC should be based on the forthcoming report. Referring to their letter dated April 17, Patwari said it focused on reforms, adding that the NCP wants a fresh election under a reformed system that aligns with public expectations.

When asked about confidence in the current EC, he replied, “We’ve consistently said the 2022 law on the appointment of the CEC and election commissioners—opposed by the BNP and all other parties—was enacted by a fascist regime. Elections should not be held under this law. Instead, a reformed process must be adopted to build a new Bangladesh.”

He also clarified that the timing of the elections was not specifically discussed in the meeting.