HC rejects writ against candidature of Tabith
Staff Reporter, Dhaka
The High Court (HC) yesterday (Monday) cleared the way for the BNPs mayoral candidate for Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Tabith Awal, to take part in the election slated for February 1. A HC bench summarily rejected a writ petition seeking cancellation of Tabith Awals candidacy. The HC bench, comprising Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam, rejected the petition and made some observations after a hearing. It observed that there are only four days left for the elections. At this moment, there is no scope for the Election Commission (EC) to examine whether Tabith Awal has concealed information in his affidavit about his wealth in Singapore, the bench said. It also observed that any contesting candidate can raise the dispute over Tabiths wealth before the EC after the election is held and even after publication of the result.
On Sunday, former Appellate Division Justice, AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik, filed the writ petition before the HC, seeking its order to cancel the candidacy of Tabith Awal for concealing information about his wealth in Singapore in the affidavit submitted to the EC. The petition sought HC order to the EC to probe the allegation and cancel Tabiths candidacy, if the allegation was found to be true. The retired judge met election commissioner Md Rafiqul Islam on January 23 and demanded cancellation of Tabiths nomination. He also submitted a written complaint. As the EC did not take any action in line with the application, he filed the writ before the HC, seeking its directive on the matter. After filing the petition, the former apex court judge told reporters that Tabith, along with two others, had shares in NFM Energy (Singapore), a private limited company. Tabith did not mention it in his affidavit. This is a violation of the rules and laws concerned, he added. Advocate Kumrul Haque Siddiqui appeared for the writ petitioner, while barrister Rokonuddin Mahmud appeared for Tabith.
