A candidate of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has filed an appeal with the Appellate Division of Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission’s (EC) decision to suspend election activities in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 constituencies ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election.
The petition seeks a court directive to allow the elections and related activities to proceed as scheduled.
On Monday, Barrister Nazibur Rahman Momen, Jamaat’s candidate for Pabna-1, submitted the petition to the relevant bench of the Appellate Division.
He told reporters that the application was against what he termed the EC’s “unjustified decision” to halt the elections. The hearing may take place on 14 January.
The EC had earlier decided to suspend elections in the two constituencies following the Appellate Division’s boundary-related order on 10 January. The suspension will remain in place until further instructions are issued.
EC Deputy Secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain confirmed that a letter was sent to the returning officers on 6 January instructing them to suspend the elections for Pabna-1 (Constituency No-68) and Pabna-2 (Constituency No-69), scheduled for 12 February, in compliance with the Appellate Division’s ruling.
The order came after the Appellate Division on 5 January stayed a gazette issued on 24 December last year, which had finalised constituency boundaries for the two seats.
The stay remains effective until the leave-to-appeal hearing in the High Court concludes.
