INCLUSION OF U-18 IN VOTER LIST
High Court asks EC to explain legality
The High Court yesterday asked the Election Commission to explain in 10 days why inclusion of citizens, below 18 years, in the voter list should not be declared illegal.
In response to a writ petition, the HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Ashraful Kamal issued the rule. The chief election commissioner and the secretary to the Election Commission have been asked to reply to the rule within 10 days.
On July 24, Supreme Court lawyer ZI Khan Panna filed the petition challenging the legality of including minors in the voter list while updating the voter list.
During the hearing, Advocate Shahdeen Malik, counsel for the petitioner, told the court that citizens below 18 could not be enrolled as voters as per Section 11 of the Electoral Act 2009 and rule 27 of the Electoral Roll Rules 2012.
He also said that as per Section 122 of the constitution, the Election Commission could not include the names of those citizens, who are now under 18. But, the EC is enrolling minors names in their list violating the rules and regulation, he added.
In response, Deputy Attorney General Motahar Hossain Sazu opposed Maliks submission and told the court that the names of minors were included in the list not as voters. The names are being enlisted so that they could avail other necessary facilities.
