Dhaka: Election Commission Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed on Wednesday said the Commission will decide about Jatiya Oikyafront’s demand for deferring the national election by three weeks after discussion in its meeting.

‘It’s tough to hold the election in January. But the Commission will discuss it (Oikyafront’s demand) in its meeting and inform its decision to Oikyafront,’ he said while briefing reporters about the EC’s meetings with a 15-member delegation of the Jatiya Oikyafront and a 12-member one of Awami League at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the city, reports the UNB.

The Election Commission is aggrieved at the clash between BNP men and police in front of BNP central office at Nayapaltan in the city, the EC secretary said. ‘The Commission told the Jatiya Oikyafront that they (EC) got hurt at the incident and expected that no such incident takes place in the future,’ he said.

He said the EC told the Oikyafront delegation that they will investigate the incident and will seek a report from police on what actually happened there.

At the meeting with the AL delegation, the Commission also said the EC will look into the incident and then take measures, Helaluddin said.

He said all the law enforcement agencies have come under the Election Commission with the announcement of the polls schedule. ‘So, the Commission will look into the incident.’

Replying to a query over an EC’s letter sent to the IGP asking him to enforce the electoral code of conduct, the EC secretary said the directive is applicable for all parties. ‘We asked for enforcing the electoral code of conduct during the submission of nomination papers to offices of the returning officers.’

He said the EC also issued directives to take action against incidents that create public sufferings.