Legality of candidature
Dispose pleas of 22 Jamaat men in three days
High Court asks Election Commission
STAFF REPORTER, Dhaka
The High Court yesterday directed the Election Commission to dispose of in three working days the application filed for cancelling the candidature of 22 Jamaat-e-Islami men, who wanted to contest in the 11th parliamentary elections with the symbol, Sheaf of Paddy. The HC bench also issued a rule asking the government to explain in four weeks time explaining why the ECs decision to allow 22 Jamaat candidates to contest the elections despite the cancellation of their registration should not be declared illegal.
The HC bench also asked the EC to show causes why the Commission should not be directed to cancel their candidature. In response to a writ petition, the HC bench comprising Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Mohammad Ali came up with the directive and rule.
The Chief Election Commissioner and Jamaat candidates have been made respondents to reply to the rule within four weeks.
Syed Rezaul Haque Chandpuri, secretary general of Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, filed the writ petition with the HC, seeking the cancellation of the ECs decision to allow 22
Jamaat-e-Islami leaders to contest the December 30 elections.
It was mentioned in the petition that the HC in 2013 had scrapped the Jamaat-e-Islamis registration with the EC. Hence, the partys leaders cannot be allowed to contest the polls. Before filing the writ, the petitioner also filed an appeal with the EC.
Barrister Tania Amir, counsel for the petitioner, told reporters that the High Court, in a verdict in 2013, had revoked the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami with the Election Commission. Although, the party filed an appeal with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court against the HC verdict, it could not hold a hearing on the appeal. Now, the Jamaat men are contesting with the symbol of another party, which is a kind of deceit, she added.
Jamaats registration as a political party with the Election Commission was rescinded by the High Court on August 1, 2013, following a writ petition filed by 25 people, including Chandpuri. The EC finally issued a gazette notification on October 29 this year cancelling the partys registration.
