In the words of the Election Commission, there cannot be ‘coordinated and planned irregularities’ without instigation by supporters of a particular candidate. This would be considered a major failure of this investigation.
Nevertheless, the decision of the Election Commission to take action against 134 people accused of irregularities in the Gabandha by-election can be appreciated.
Despite serious rigging in several elections and by-elections in the past, instead of taking action against those responsible, the Commission has spoken in favor of them.
Even though the present Election Commission has not been able to catch for whom the theft has been done, it has caught the theft.
But still the question and doubt naturally arises whether the inquiry committee really wanted to find out the people behind the irregularities?
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Qazi Habibul Awal announced his decision to take action against the 134 officials from Chunan Bhawan in capital Agargaon on Thursday afternoon.