The Election Commission on Sunday rejected the appeals of two reserved MP aspirants, which challenged the cancellation of their nomination papers.
“As the appeal authority, the Election Commission took the decision following a hearing in this regard,” a senior assistant secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat told UNB.
The two aspirants – AL-nominated Sabiha Nahar and Jatiya Party-picked Khorshed Ara Haque – on Wednesday lodged the petitions challenging the decision of the returning officer who cancelled their candidature.
The commission headed by election commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mobarak, who is currently performing the duties of Chief Election Commissioner, arranged the hearing at the EC Secretariat at 11am. Both candidates took part.
At 4pm Sunday, the EC handed down the judgment upholding the March 11 decision of the returning officer – on the grounds that the two MP aspirants did not pay their telephone bills at least seven days before the submission of nomination papers.
As per the article 12 (1) (n) of the Representation of the People Order 1972, a person shall be disqualified for election as or for being, a member, if he personally has failed to pay the telephone, gas, electricity, water or any other bill of any service providing organisation of the Government at least seven days prior to the submission deadline of nomination paper.
Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Ltd (BTCL) is owed Sabiha Nahar Tk 11,835; Khorshed Ara Haque has astronomical outstanding dues Tk 223,488 in telephone bill.
On February 23, the EC announced the polls schedule for the women’s reserved seats, fixing the voting for March 29 initially and subsequently deferred the voting date to April 3.
According to the reschedule, the last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 18 (Tuesday).
Out of the 50 seats, the ruling Awami League-led six-party alliance will contest the polls in 41 seats –AL in 39, each Jasad and Workers’ Party in one seat– while Jatiya Party in six seats and the coalition of independent candidates in three seats.
Source: UNBConnet
