It might invite around 20 political parties to the dialogue and most of those would be selected using the criteria set [in the draft proposals] for registration, said sources in the EC Secretariat.

To be registered with the commission, a political party must have representation in any of the parliaments since 1973 or offices in at least half of the existing 64 administrative districts.

"Political parties that are fit for registration with the commission will be given priority," Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain told reporters at his office yesterday.

Only later could some other political parties be allowed to express their opinion on the proposed electoral reforms, he added.

The immediate past EC led by Justice MA Aziz had invited 116 political parties including a large number of organisations in name only to a dialogue on the preparation of the voter list in 2005. Excepting the then ruling four parties including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, most of the major political parties boycotted the series of discussions that turned out to be a complete farce.

A huge number of political parties regularly contest the parliamentary elections, but most of them fail to win a seat.

In 1973, only 14 parties participated in the country's first parliamentary polls but the number rose to 81 in 1996. Fifty-five parties contested the last general election that took place in 2001.

Now the EC with ATM Shamsul Huda at the helm wants to keep the political parties that exist only on paper out of the parliamentary election by introducing mandatory registration.

Election Commissioner Sakhawat said the commission wants to hold a meaningful dialogue with the political parties on electoral reforms.

"The talks with a large number of little-known parties cannot produce good results. So, we have plans to use some criteria for those wanting to be holding the dialogue," Sakhawat told The Daily Star.

Besides, the EC has drafted an application form that will be distributed among the political parties that are not fit for registration but still want to be a part of the discussion. The form would seek information about their organisational strength and other relevant matters so the commission could decide on who should be allowed and who not, sources said.

On timetable for the talks, Sakhawat said they are waiting for the ban on indoor politics to go. "We will start the dialogue once the political parties are ready to take part in," he said.