DHAKA: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, who is now in USA, wants that the returning officers and law enforcers to take prompt actions against troublemakers in the polls.

The CEC came up with the direction in an e-mail sent to his colleagues in the Election Commission on Saturday on the eve of Sunday’s elections to 91 upazila parishads.

He said, in the e-mail, “We hope that you will put in your best efforts so that the remaining elections can be held in an even better way.”

Rakibuddin added: “No violation of the electoral code of conduct should be allowed to go unpunished whoever be the violator, prompt action should be taken against them.”

After receiving the email, the EC held a meeting in the afternoon, and forwarded the copy of the email to the returning officers, deputy commissioners, police supers, divisional commissioners and metropolitan police commissioners.

Later, election commissioner Abdul Mobarak categorically said that law enforcers were asked to open fire if anyone tries to snatch ballot boxes.

Forwarding the miscreants, he said, “Respect the people’s rights to voting. If anyone tries to create any violence with the voting rights their hands will be demolished.”

The acting chief election commissioner further said the army personnel would be deployed in the field and they would take initiatives directly to control the violence.

BDST: 2050 HRS, MAR 22, 2014