Bangladesh
Third HC bench rejects Khaleda Zia’s writ on candidature.

Third HC bench rejects Khaleda Zia’s writ on candidature

Bangladesh

The third bench of High Court on Tuesday upheld the decision of a junior judge of another bench rejecting writ petitions of Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia against the Election Commission’s decision to reject her candidature in three constituencies in the upcoming general election.

The single member bench of Justice JBM Hassan passed the decision that bars the BNP chief to contest the 11th Jatiya Sangsad elections.

Khaleda’s three writ petitions were sent to the third judge after a two-judge bench of the High Court Division gave a split order.

Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, the senior judge, found her candidature valid and in a ruling asked the Election Commission to explain in four weeks why rejection of her nomination papers by it would not be declared as illegal.

He also stayed the EC’s decision disqualifying her candidature.

The junior judge, Justice Md Iqbal Kabir had summarily rejected her three writ petitions.

Before delivering decision on the writ, the judge had rejected the no confidence petition of Khaleda’s lawyers. Then the lawyers told the court not to hear the writs and send it back to the chief justice but the court decided to hear the writs. Attorney general Mahbubey Alam represented the state.

Then Khaleda’s lawyers boycotted the court.

Khaleda’s counsel Badruddoza Badal said they would go to the vacation bench of the Appellate Division against the bench’s decision.