A larger High Court bench headed by Justice M Moazzem Hossain is expected to deliver its judgment Thursday on a long pending public interest litigation writ petition challenging the validity of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s registration as political party. On January 27 , 2009, Maulana Syed Rezaul Haque Chandpuri, secretary general of Bangladesh Tariqat Federation, and 24 others, including Islamic scholars, children of freedom fighters, Tariquat Federation, Zaker Party and Sammilita Islamic Jote filed the PIL writ petition, at a time when a new Awami League led grand alliance government took office. Responding to the writ petition, the High Court issued rule upon the Election Commission to explain why the registration of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BJI) as a political party should not be declared to have been done unlawfully and ultra vires to the Constitution. On November 4, 2008, the Election Commission (EC) granted registration to Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BJI) as a political party under the Representation of People Order 1972. The PIL writ petitioners sought enforcement of section 90C of the Representation of People Order along with certain articles of Bangladesh Constitution, including the Proclamation of Independence and Preamble. – UNB
