The Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday cleared the way for holding the election of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU).
The apex court yesterday vacated its Chamber Judge’s order that stayed a High Court verdict directing the authorities concerned to hold the DUCSU election in six months.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after hearing of an appeal filed by DU authorities challenging the HC verdict.
Following a writ petition, the HC on January 17, 2018 directed the DU authorities and the government to hold the election in six months. The HC also directed the Home Ministry to provide necessary assistance to the DU authorities for holding the polls.
Writ petitioners’ counsel Advocate Manzill Murshid filed a contempt of court petition on September 17, 2018 as the DU authorities did not arrange DUCSU polls within six
months, the timeframe given by the HC. Then the DU authorities sent a letter to the HC informing that they would arrange DUCSU polls within March 15, 2019. Considering the DU authorities’ letter the concerned HC bench dropped the contempt petition from the cause-list.
But, on October 1, 2018, DU authorities filed an appeal petition against the HC order. After hearing the appeal petition, the SC Chamber Judge on October 1, 2018 stayed the HC verdict. At the same time, the Chamber Judge sent the appeal petition to the full bench of the Appellate Division and fixed October 11, 2018 for hearing.
Yesterday, a full bench of the Appellate Division headed by the Chief Justice heard the appeal petition and kept the appeal of DU authorities stand-over (pending for hearing) till March 30.
In the appeal, the DU authorities said that they had decided to hold the polls by March 15 this year.
Writ petitioners’ counsel Manzill Murshid told the reporters that the DU authorities have to hold the DUCSU polls by March 15 following the SC order.
According to the writ petition, elected representatives of the DUCSU will work for students’ education, sports and cultural expansion, according to the Dhaka University order. But there is no elected representative in DUCSU since 1991 which is hampering the overall expansion of talent of the students of the university.
The last election took place 28 years ago on June 6, 1990. Student organizations, especially the left leaning ones, have demanded the polls on numerous occasions.
