Dhaka, 16 Jan – The High Court on Tuesday fixed Wednesday to hear two separate writ petitions filed seeking stay on the process for holding election to the mayoral post for Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) on February 26.
After concluding hearing on the writ petitions, the HC bench comprising Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed fixed the date for passing its orders on the petitions.Jahangir Alam, chairman of Beraid union parishad, and Ataur Rahman, chairman of Bhatara union parishad, filed the two petitions challenging the legality of the schedule fixed by the Election Commission (EC) for holding the polls to the DNCC mayor post.
Jahangir Alam in his petition said that the EC is yet to provide him the CD containing the voter list, although the commission has fixed January 18 for submitting the nomination papers.
If he does not get the CD, he cannot submit the nomination paper and contest the election, he said.
On the other hand, Ataur Rahman filed petition challenging the legality of declaring election scheduled by the election commission without fulfilling 75 per cent quorum of ward councilor posts in DNCC. As per the provision, the EC cannot hold mayoral election without filling up the 75 quorum of the ward councilor posts. But, a number of ward councilor posts were now vacant in the DNCC at this time. But, before completing ward councilor posts, the EC declared election scheduled, which was illegal in the eye of law, petitioner counsel said.
Advocate Kamrul Haque Siddiqui and Mostafizur Rahman with the assistant of Barrister Ahsan Habib appeared for the petitioners while Deputy attorney general Moklesur Rahman represented the state.
Five officials including secretary of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives (LGRD) Ministry, secretary of Election Commission (EC) have been made respondents in the petition.
The by-polls for the mayoral post of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) scheduled to be held on February 26.
The EC fixed January 18 as the last date for filing nomination paper while scrutiny will be held on January 21, 22.
The closing date for nomination paper withdrawal is January 29.
Besides, the EC will arrange polls to the 36 councilor posts and 12 reserved seats in the 36 new wards – 18 of the DNCC and 18 of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) — on the same day.
The DNCC mayoral post fell vacant with the death of Annisul Huq on November 30 last year. – Staff reporter
