Electoral Management in Post Colonial States : The Case of Bangladesh

The participation in the governmental process is ensured by the election. Election can be properly viewed by particular institutional mechanism. As an institutional mechanism, the Bangladesh Constitution gives a provision to set up an Election Commission as an Electoral Management Body to conduct elections in the country. In accordance with the Article 118 of the Constitution, Bangladesh Election Commission was established. The body operates the legal functions according to election law. For the success of BEC, it is essential that the election must be held in a free and fair manner. Since inception of Bangladesh in 1972, there has been an allegation against BEC, that it is having some irregularities in the way of holding election. Therefore, the electoral process thus remained as fictive as futile. The functioning of an EC can be properly viewed through some of its guiding principles. Without ensuring such principles BEC also remains as fictive as futile. In this backdrop, this research evaluates the performances of the BEC to conduct a free and fair election. I hope that in my work, researchers, academicians and students will find the path of holding free and fair election.