Awal Commission to resign. He is leaving in just two and a half years. According to the constitution, the election commission (EC) headed by Kazi Habibul Awal has to leave, although the mandate is fixed for five years.
The Awal Commission will resign at a press conference on Thursday (August 5) at 12 noon. Senior officials of EC informed this information. It is also known that the EC members will go to meet the President after the press conference.
Former Senior Secretary Kazi Habibul Awal was appointed as CEC on February 26, 2022. Besides, retired Brigadier General Ahsan Habib Khan, former district and session judge Begum Rashida Sultana, former senior secretary Md. Alamgir and former senior secretary Anichur Rahman.
A day after their appointment, they took oath before the then Chief Justice Hasan Faiz Siddiqui. The 12th National Parliament election was held under that commission.
Clause 3 of Article 118 of the Constitution states that the term of office of an Election Commissioner shall be five years from the date of assumption of office. Regarding the removal of CEC and Election Commissioners, clause 5 of the same Article (118) states that no Election Commissioner shall be removed except in the same manner and for the same reasons as a judge of the Supreme Court can be removed.
Article 96 Clause 2 of the Constitution on the removal of judges of the Supreme Court states that no judge shall be removed for proven misconduct or incapacity except by order of the President on a resolution of the Parliament supported by a majority of at least two-thirds of the total number of members of the Parliament.
Clause (6) of Article 118 of the Constitution on resignation of Election Commissioners states that an Election Commissioner may resign from office by writing a signed letter addressed to the President. Earlier in 1990, 1996 and 2006, election commissioners had to resign first after the change of government amid agitation unrest.