The Election Commission (EC) yesterday (Sunday) quashed the appeal for the cancellation of candidatures of 25 alleged Jamaat-i-Islami candidates and permitted them to contest the polls. “As the returning officers have allotted the electoral symbols to the alleged 25 Jamaat candidates, the EC has no scope now to cancel their nominations,” EC secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said. The secretary made this announcement to journalists at a press conference held in the Nirbachan Bhaban.
On December 18, the High Court (HC) directed the EC to dispose of the application filed for cancelling the candidacy of 25 Jamaat-e-Islami men within three working days. Four writ petitioners, including Bangladesh Tarikat Federation secretary-general Syed Rezaul Haque Chandpuri, filed a writ petition with the HC challenging the legality of the Jamaat leaders' nominations. Accordingly, at its full commission meeting, the EC took the decision by retaining their candidacies as they have been allocated poll symbols by the ROs concerned to contest the polls.
On Saturday, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) presidium member Nazrul Islam Khan told journalists that there was no Jamaat candidate in the 11th parliamentary polls. He said, “The allegation of there being Jamaat-e-Islami candidates in the elections is not correct. They are BNP-nominated candidates. Jamaat did not nominate them. They are contesting the polls with the paddy sheaf symbol of BNP. There is no Jamaat-e-Islami candidate in the elections.”
On the other hand, Projonmo’71—a pro-Liberation platform—met the chief election commissioner (CEC) on Saturday and requested him to cancel the candidacies of the alleged Jamaat-i-Islam nominees. The High Court cancelled Jamaat's registration with the EC on August 1, 2013, following a writ petition. The EC finally issued a gazette notification on October 29 this year confirming the cancellation of the party's registration.
Meanwhile, the EC has announced a fresh date for the election to the Gaibandha-3 constituency setting the election date on January 27. Helal Uddin said, “The fresh date for nomination paper submission to the constituency is January 2. The election to the seat will be held on January 27.”
On 20 December, the EC postponed the election to Gaibandha-3 constituency due to the demise of a Jatiya Oikyafront candidate Dr TIM Fazle Rabbi. In reaction to the annulment of some BNP men, party’s senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that the candidatures of the contestants of 'Sheaf of Paddy' are being annulled as the government wants to hold a 'lopsided' election.
"It seems the government wants to hold a unilateral election. They're hatching various plots and cancelling the candidatures of 'Sheaf of Paddy' candidates creating undue pressure on the court," he said. He came up with the allegation at a press conference at BNP's Nayapaltan central office.