The by-polls for the mayoral post of DNCC, which was scheduled to be held on February 26, has been stayed for three months.
In a knee-jerk reaction, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday accused the Awami League-led government of conspiring with the Election Commission to halt the proceedings of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) by-polls, which was scheduled to take place on February 26.
A High Court bench comprising Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed issued an order on Wednesday morning to halt the DNCC mayoral by-polls for three months after holding the preliminary hearing of two writ petitions.
The court also issued a ruling asking the Election Commission to explain as to why the High Court should not declare illegal the schedule for the mayoral by-polls and election in newly added 36 wards.
Also Read – EC suspends DNCC by-polls following High Court order
“The petitions, which led the court to issue a stay order, was filed because the Election Commission announced a flawed schedule of the by-polls,” Mirza Fakhrul said while speaking to reporters outside of a makeshift court located in the Bakshibazar Aliya Madrasa compound in Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon.
Fakhrul accompanied BNP chief Khaleda Zia, who appeared before a special court in the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases on Wednesday.
Also Read – Obaidul: DNCC by-election now in court’s hands
“The government will now reap benefits out of it,” he added.
The DNCC mayoral post fell vacant with the death of Annisul Huq on November 30, 2017.
Source:
