Staff Reporter :
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday upheld its chamber judge’s order that issued a status quo on the general secretary post of the Film Artistes’ Association saying that none can hold the post of general secretary till further order.
The apex court also upheld the chamber judge’s order that stayed the High Court order halting the Appellate Board’s decision cancelling the candidacy of Zayed Khan and declaring Nipun Akter as the general secretary of the Association.
The SC also asked the lawyers of both sides to hold hearing on the HC rule over this issue on Tuesday as per schedule.
A full Bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order after hearing a leave to appeal petition filed by Nipun Akter challenging the High Court order.
Lawyers Rokanuddin Mahmud and Mustafizur Rahman appeared for Nipun, while lawyers Yusuf Hussain Humayun, Ahsanul Karim and Nahid Sultana Juthi argued for Zayed Khan during virtual hearing of the appeal petition.
Following a writ petition of Zayed Khan, the HC on February 7 stayed for a week the Appellate Board’s decision that cancelled his candidacy.
Nipun on the following day filed a petition with the SC through her lawyers challenging the HC order that stayed the Appellate Board’s decision cancelling the candidacy of Zayed Khan.
The chamber judge of the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division on February 9 issued a status quo on functions of the general secretary post of the Film Artistes’ Association saying that none can hold the post of general secretary till further order.
The court also sent the petition to the full Bench of the Appellate Division for its detail hearing on February 13. Accordingly the petition came to the cause-list of the apex court on Monday.
Actor Zayed Khan was declared as the re-elected general secretary of the Film Artistes’ Association elections held on February 28.
But on February 5, Sohanur Rahman Sohan, head of the appellate board, announced the disqualification of both Zayed Khan and executive panel member Chunnu, through a press conference.
“We have found enough evidence to prove that Zayed Khan was involved in bribing the voters. We got 2 written statements from people who accepted money from the actor,” said Sohanur Rahman.
Later a part of the elected body including president and Ilias Kanchan and appellate board declared general secretary Nipun took oath on February 7.
Zayed Khan on the same day filed a writ petition challenging the Appellate Board’s decision and secured an order.
