The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday upheld a High Court (HC) verdict that had directed the Election Commission (EC) to register the Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM), led by Bobby Hajjaj, as a political party.  A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, came up with order after dismissing a leave-to-appeal filed by the EC challenging the HC verdict.

Barrister Rashna Imam, one of the counsel for Bobby Hajjaj, told reporters that the EC has to give registration to NDM as a political party within 15 days following the apex court order.

 On October 21 last year, in response to a writ petition filed by Bobi Hajjaj, the HC had directed the EC to get the NDM registered as a political party within 15 days.  Later, the EC filed a leave-to-appeal with the apex court challenging the HC verdict.  On June 11, the EC rejected an application to register the NDM as a political party, saying that the party’s constitution was not amended properly.

 Barrister Akhtar Imam appeared for Bobby Hajjaj, while advocate Obaidul Rahman Mostafa represented the EC.