The two-day staggered annual election to the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) begins on Sunday. A total of 4362 eligible voters are expected to cast their votes to elect the new leadership of the country’s apex court bar for 2015-16. The BNP-Jamaat-backed alliance lawyers have been dominating since 2010.Advocate M Harun-or-Rashid, convener of the seven-member election sub-committee, on Saturday told reporters that all the election preparations have been completed by this time. The voting will continue till 5 pm from 10 am every day with an hour of lunch break at 1 pm, he added.Thirty-one candidates are contesting the election to the SCBA’s 14-member executive committee.Virtually, two panels are contesting the SCBA election. The panels are Sammilita Ainjibi Samannay Parishad (SASP), backed by the ruling Awami League-led 14 party alliance and Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Oikya Panel (JAOP) which is backed by the BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami-led 20-party alliance.Outgoing SCBA president Khandker Mahbub Hossain, also BNP chairperson’ s adviser, and secretary AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, also a BNP joint secretary general, are contesting to retain their posts for the second consecutive terms. Yusuf Hossain Humayun, also member of Awami League advisory council, is contesting for the post of SCBA president for the first time as nominee from the SASP while M Momtaz Uddin Ahmed Mehdi, former elected SCBA secretary, has been made secretary candidate for the second time from SASP.The other candidates contesting from JAOP are: Vice-presidents ASM Muktar Kabir Khan and Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan, treasurer Shawkat Ara Begum Dulari, assistant secretaries Mazedul Islam Patwary Ujjal and Yusuf Ali, members Mirza Al Mahmud, Anwarul Islam Shaheen, Faizur Rahim, Jasim Sarkar, Nasir Uddin Khan Samrat, Rezaul Karim and Shamima Sultana.The other contesting candidates from SASP are: Vice presidents Abul Khair and Taherul Islam, treasurer Amir Hossain, assistant secretaries Delwar Hossain Mustafa Chowdhury and Suza Al Faruq, members AKM Daudur Rahma Meena, Amit Dasgupta, Khan Muhammad Shamim Aziz, Mohiuddin Shamim, Abdul Aziz Mian, Habibur Rahman Habib and Sabiha Yesmin.Besides, M Obaidul Huq Peerjada and Dr Yunus Ali Akond are vying for the post of SCBA president while Nazrul Islam as vice-president as independent candidates.
