Staff Reporter :
The full Bench of the Appellate Division will hold hearing today (Wednesday) on the petitions filed seeking resumption of Gazipur City Corporation’s election process that was stayed by the High Court.
The ruling Awami League’s mayoral candidate, Jahangir Alam, on Tuesday also filed a formal petition with the apex court seeking resumption of the GCC election process that was stayed by the High Court
Earlier on Monday, the BNP’s aggrieved mayoral aspirant, Hasan Uddin Sarker, filed a petition with the Supreme Court seeking the same order.
After hearing the two petitions yesterday, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Hasan Foez Siddique sent those to the full Bench for hearing today (Wednesday).
The concerned lawyers said, Gazpur City Corporation (GCC) election process will remain stopped as the Chamber Judge did not pass any order.
The Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, on Tuesday heard both the petitions.
Citing the petition, Advocate S M Shafiqul Islam Babu said, the High Court had earlier disposed of a similar writ petition challenging the legality of inclusion of six mouzas in Shimulia union with Gazipur City Corporation. Therefore, the writ petition seeking stay on the election cannot be acceptable, he said. Citing from the petition, Barrister Sanjid Siddique, a lawyer for BNP mayor candidate Hasan Uddin Sarker, said, the High Court stayed the Gazipur City Corporation election for three months on Sunday following a writ petition filed by Savar Upazila Awami League leader A B M Azharul Islam alias Suruj, who is not an aggrieved person about the Gazipur City polls. Therefore, his writ petition is not acceptable.
He also said that the writ petition was filed with the HC from political intention in order to obstruct the process for holding the GCC polls. The High Court on Sunday stayed the Gazipur City Corporation election for three months which was scheduled to be held on May 15.
The court also issued a rule asking the Election Commission (EC) and the government to explain as to why inclusion of six mouzas of Shimulia Union Parishad of Savar should not be declared illegal.
The HC Bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed passed the order. Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda announced the election schedule for Gazipur and Khulna City Corporations on March 31.
