1970 East Pakistan Provincial Assembly election
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17 December 1970
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300 of the 310 seat in the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly 156 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Registered | 29,479,386 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 57.68% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Provincial elections were held in East Pakistan on 17 December 1970, ten days after general elections in Pakistan. A total of 1,850 candidates ran for the 300 seats in the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly.[1] The result was a landslide victory for the All-Pakistan Awami League, which won 288 of the 300 seats. This was the last provincial election in East Pakistan.
In the previous provincial election in 1954, held in the backdrop of the Bengali language movement, the Awami League, Krishak Sramik Party and other smaller parties formed an alliance called United Front (Jukto Front). The Jukto Front won a landslide victory by winning 223 of the 309 seats. The Muslim League, once the most popular party in the province, had its worst-ever defeat, with many provincial ministers, including the chief minister of East Bengal, losing their seats.[2]
In 1958, the military takeover by Field Marshal Ayub Khan overthrew all federal and provincial governments of Pakistan.[3]
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman became the leader of the Awami League in 1963 and became the strongest supporter of lifting martial law and restoring democracy. In the 1965 Presidential Election, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman openly supported and launched campaign along with his party for Fatima Jinnah. Fatima Jinnah gained more votes in East Pakistan than West Pakistan.
On 18 March 1966, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman placed Six-point movement during a conference held in Lahore which demanded more autonomy for East Pakistan. It was rejected by then political parties of both wings but got huge support from the people of East Bengal.[4] In April 1966, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman demanded to conduct a nationwide referendum on his six-point movement and said that military establishment is exploiting East Pakistan by using all export revenue of jute to feed the army.[5]
He was arrested in April 1966 in Jessore but was bailed out soon. He was again arrested on the orders of Ayub Khan in May and sent to Sylhet jail where he was charged in the Agartala Conspiracy case along with 28 East Bengali military and government officials. After huge protests against the arrest of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman across East Pakistan, all cases were withdrawn and he was released.[6]
A month before elections the deadliest tropical storm hit East Bengal which claimed lives of at least half a million people.[7] Poor response from then government of Pakistan skyrocketed popularity of Awami League. President Yahya Khan was strongly criticized by international media due to its poor disaster governance.[8]
Electoral system
The 310 members of the Provincial Assembly consist of 300 directly elected seats using first-past-the-post voting in single-member constituencies, and an additional 10 seats reserved for women. The reserved seats are selected by the elected constituency members via the single transferable vote. Each parliament sits for a five-year term.
