Khaleda cannot run polls as HC rejects her plea

The High Court has upheld the decision of a junior Justice of another bench rejecting writ petitions of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia against the Election Commission’s decision of rejecting her candidature in three constituencies in the upcoming 11th parliamentary election.

The HC single bench of Justice JBM Hassan rejected the petitions after hearing arguments from Attorney General Mahbubey Alam.

Now, after the court’s rejection, Khaleda Zia will not be able to contest in the next general election scheduled to be held on December 30.

On December 9, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia filed three separate writ petitions with the High Court challenging the legality of the Election Commission's decision that cancelled her all the three nominations for the 11th parliamentary polls.

The petitions were filed by her lawyer Barrister Nowshad Jamir, seeking the court's directive on the EC to accept her nomination papers for Bogura-6, Bogura- 7 and Feni-1 constituencies.

According to Khaleda Zia's lawyers, the Election Commission has illegally cancelled her nomination papers so that she cannot participate in the polls.

Earlier, the HC bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir passed the dissenting order on the three writ petitions.

Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, the senior judge of the bench, directed the EC to accept Khaleda’s nomination, while Justice Md Iqbal Kabir ordered a denial.

Later, Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain assigned Justice JBM Hassan to hear the plea. 

All three nomination papers of the BNP chief were cancelled on December 3. Later, the EC also rejected her appeals against the cancellation of her nominations by returning officers.