Dhaka, Feb 05 (V7N) — With questions arising over who will administer the oath to the winning members of the 13th National Parliament, the Election Commission (EC) clarified on Thursday that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) can perform the duty in the absence of both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

Under the constitution, the Speaker of the previous Parliament is normally responsible for administering the oath. However, after the mass uprising of 2024, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury resigned on September 2, and Deputy Speaker Shamsul Haque Tuku is currently in prison.

Article 74(6) of the Constitution states that the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the previous Parliament remains in office until a new Speaker assumes the role. Given the current circumstances, the Parliament Secretariat has been exploring alternatives to administer the oath, raising legal questions.

EC member Abdur Rahmanel Machud explained that, under Article 148(2A) of the Constitution, if the Speaker or their nominee does not administer the oath within three days of the publication of the Gazette, the CEC may administer the oath within the next three days.

Furthermore, according to Schedule-3 of the Constitution, if both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are unable to act, the CEC can administer the oath with the President’s approval.

This clarification ensures that the process for swearing in the new MPs will proceed smoothly despite the unusual circumstances surrounding the previous Parliament’s leadership.

END/SMA/AJ