The newly elected Members of Parliament (MPs) will take their oath at Parliament Bhaban on Thursday. Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury will conduct the oath to the new MPs at oath taking room of Parliament at 10:00am, says a press release issued by Parliament Secretariat on Wednesday.
Thhe Election Commission (EC) published the gazette notification of 290 MPs elect on Wednesday.The MPs elect include 153, who were elected unopposed and the rest 147 were elected in January 5 polls. Earlier, the EC sent the names of newly elected MPs to the Parliament Secretariat on Wednesday to publish the gazette to notify them.
Election Commissioner Mohammad ShahNawaz told reporters that “The gazette for 290 constituencies except Jessore-1 and Jessore-2 will be released on Wednesday.”
New MPs must be sworn within three days of the publication of gazette in keeping with the Constitution.
The result of Jessore-1 and 2 is withheld as EC has filed a case against the candidates of those constituencies.
That’s why the names of winner candidate Afiluddin of Jessore-1 and Monirul Islam of Jessore-2 were dropped from the gazette since there are allegations of violation of electoral code of conduct against them. The EC has issued show causes against them.
The notification of these two seats will be finalised later.
The rest eight constituencies were not included in the gazette since there will be re-election in some polling centres of those constituencies.
In accordance with the Article 148 (2) “Ka” of the Constitution, the lawmakers should administer oath within three days after publication of gazette.
The first session of new Parliament should also be summoned within 30 days after taking oath by lawmakers.
Eminent jurist Barrister Rafique-ul-Huq said the government can form the new government after dissolving the Ninth Parliament though its tenure ending on January 24.
Tenth Parliament will be formed amid taking of oath by the newly elected members and dissolution of the Ninth Parliament by the President.
Meanwhile, Parliament Secretariat on Wednesday began sending of letters to 290 MPs elect by special messengers to take part in oath taking ceremony, according to Parliament Secretariat.
The Speaker on Wednesday afternoon visited the oath taking room. Necessary preparation for oath taking has been finalised.
Sources said the Cabinet Division will take initiative for oath of the next cabinet after the MPs take their oath. However the date of taking oath by the new cabinet members could not be ascertained.
The office of the opposition leader Khaleda Zia has been vacated. A new leader of the opposition is to take the office.
Jatiya Party MPs would take oath as opposition lawmakers. Senior Presidium member of JP Rawshan Ershad is likely to be the leader of the opposition in Parliament.
The re-elections to some polling centres of eight constituencies where the election was postponed will be held on January 16.
Prime Minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, who has been elected MP from two constituencies has decided to keep her Gopalganj-3 seat and vacate the Rangpur-6 seat.
After publication of the gazette, the Speaker held a meeting with concerned officials of Parliament Secretariat.
Director Public Relation of Parliament Secretariat Md Joynal Abedin on Wednesday said the preparation for oath taking has already been completed.
He said all the newly elected MPs have been invited to take part in the oath taking ceremony.
After December 29 elections of Ninth Parliament in 2008, the newly elected lawmakers had taken oath after four days of the polls while the gazette was published after three days.
The first session of the Ninth Parliament had begun on Janaury 25 after 27 days of the elections.
This time the 10th Parliament is likely to go into its first session on January 26, according to Parliament Secretariat. – Staff Reporter
