The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has fixed Thursday for hearing a petition challenging the Election Commission’s (EC) decision to suspend electoral activities in the Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 constituencies ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election.
The hearing date was fixed on Wednesday by passed the order on Wednesday. Acting Attorney General Barrister Arshadur Rauf and Additional Attorney General Barrister Aneek R Haque appeared on behalf of the Election Commission, while Barrister Imran E Siddiqui represented the petitioner.
The petition was filed on 12 January, seeking directives to allow the election and related activities in the two constituencies to proceed on schedule.
Barrister Najibur Rahman Momen, a Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate from Pabna-1, submitted the application.
Earlier, on 10 January, the Election Commission decided to suspend the election process in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 following an Appellate Division order concerning constituency delimitation.
The EC announced that the elections in the two seats would remain suspended until further instructions.
EC Deputy Secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain said the commission had issued a letter on 6 January instructing the respective returning officers to halt the election process in the two constituencies.
The letter stated that the decision was taken following an Appellate Division order dated 5 January regarding the delimitation of constituencies No. 68 (Pabna-1) and No. 69 (Pabna-2).
As a result, the elections in these constituencies, scheduled for February 12, were put on hold until further notice.
Earlier, on 5 January, the Appellate Division stayed a gazette notification issued on 24 December last year that had redefined the boundaries of the Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 parliamentary constituencies.
The stay will remain effective until the disposal of a leave-to-appeal petition against a related High Court verdict.
