Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz on Thursday said Bangladesh
Jamaat-e-Islami cannot contest elections as it is no longer a
registered political party as the High Court (HC) declared illegal its
registration. “Jamaat is no more a registered political party after
the High Court declared illegal the registration awarded to the
party,’’ he told reporters at his Election Commission secretariat
office. As per the Representation of the People Order (RPO), no
unregistered political party can contest parliamentary elections.
The High Court on November 2 last published its full judgment
cancelling the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami with the Election
Commission as a political party. Earlier on August 1 this year, the
court pronounced the short verdict declaring illegal the registration
awarded to Jamaat in 2008 following a write petition filed in 2009.
The Election Commission on Wednesday last received the certified copy
of the full-text of the HC verdict. Shah Nawaz said the registration
of the party is illegal according to the verdict. “So, the commission
has nothing to say about this.” “It has been mentioned in the
commission website that the registration of the party is illegal. So,
I think that the commission no more needs to issue a fresh
notification cancelling the party’s registration. The party took part
in the hearing of the court,” he said. When his attention was drawn
that the name of Jamaat-e Islami still remains on the list of the
registered political parties on the commission website, Shah Nawaz
said they do not want to erase the name of Jamaat abruptly. The formal
decision in this regard will be taken in a commission meeting, he
added. Turning to violation of polls code, Shah Nawaz said the
commission has nothing to do against any candidate or political party
if they participate in electioneering before the announcement of
election schedule. In 2008, ahead of the ninth general election, the
commission, headed by ATM Shamsul Huda, gave registration to 39
political parties, including Jamaat-e Islami following applications of
117 parties. The commission has recently provided registration to a
newly floated political party, Bangladesh Sanskritik Muktijote. With
cancellation of the registration of Jamaat-e Islami, the number of
registered political parties now stands at 39. – UNB
