Staff Reporter :
The High Court (HC) on Wednesday disqualified three BNP candidates from contesting in the December 30 election as the government has not accepted their resignations as Upazila Chairmen in their respective areas.
The candidates are Monjur Elahi (Narsingdi-3 constituency), Faruk Ahmed Kabir (Gaibandha-4) and Abdul Aziz (Natore-4).
The court stayed the Election Commission’s decisions that allowed them to contest in the election. It also issued separate rules asking the EC and the government to explain as to why the EC’s decisions allowing them to contest the election should not be declared illegal.
The High Court bench of Justice J B M Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the orders and the issued the rules after hearing separate three writ petitions filed by the Awami League rivals Jahirul Haque Bhuiyan Mohon, Monowar Hossain and Abdul Kuddus challenging the EC’s decision to allow them to contest the polls.
A total of 19 BNP candidates, including its Chairperson Khaleda Zia, lost their candidacy following orders from the Appellate and High Court Divisions of the Supreme Court in the last one week.
The candidates were rejected by the court on different grounds including failing to repay on loans and holding an office of profit. Some were rejected because their resignations from the posts of Upazila Chairmen were not accepted by the government.
