Staff Reporter :
The symbol allocation for the 12th parliamentary elections began at the offices of the returning officers across the country on Monday.
Returning Officer Sabirul Islam started the allocation at the office of the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner in Segunbagicha at 9:30am.
The programme started with symbol distribution among the candidates contesting from the Dhaka-4 constituency. RO Sabirul Islam said the candidates would be able to start the election campaign after the allocation of symbols.
He, however, urged them to maintain all electoral code of conducts.
Meanwhile, the High Court Monday stayed the Election Commission’s decision that cancelled the candidacy of independent candidate Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah to contest the national election from Barishal-5 constituency.
The court ordered the EC to allow Serniabat to contest the election.
The HC bench of Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman and Justice Md Bashir Ullah passed the order following a writ petition filed by Serniabat challenging the EC decision.
The commission cancelled his nomination on the ground that he has dual citizenship. However, his lawyer placed documents before the HC saying that he does not have dual citizenship. Senior lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for Serniabat during hearing of the petition.
The same High Court bench on Monday overturned the Election Commission’s decision to cancel the nomination of Major General (retd) MA Salam, the ruling Awami League’s candidate from Mymensingh-9. The court issued the order in response to a writ petition filed by Salam challenging the EC’s decision.
The EC had previously rejected Salam’s nomination, citing allegations of being a loan defaulter. During the hearing, Salam’s lawyer, Probir Neogi, presented evidence proving his client’s non-involvement in any loan default.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday directed the Election Commission to allow independent candidate Shafiqur Rahman Badsha to contest the January 7 national election from Rajshahi-2 constituency. Chamber judge of the Appellate Division of the SC Justice M Enayetur Rahim passed the order following a petition filed by Shafiqur challenging a High Court order.
The HC earlier upheld the EC’s decision that cancelled the nomination of Shafiqur on ground of irregularities in the list of one percent voters’ signatures submitted along with the nomination paper.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Iqbal Kabir and Justice S M Maniruzzaman upheld the Election Commission’s decision that cancelled the nomination of ruling Awami League’s candidate Shammi Ahmed due to her dual citizenship. The HC bench rejected a writ petition filed by Shammi Ahmed challenging the EC’s decision.
Shammi Ahmed had filed her nomination papers for contesting as the AL candidate from Barishal-4 constituency in the upcoming election.
The High Court same HC bench on Monday upheld the Election Commission’s decision that cancelled the nomination of Awami League candidate from Faridpur-3 Shamim Haque due to his dual citizenship.
Shamim had filed the nomination paper for contesting the parliamentary elections on the Awami League ticket from Faridpur-3 in the January 7 parliamentary election.
Senior lawyers M Yusuf Hossain Humayun, Mohammad Sayed Ahmed Raza and Shah Monjurul Hoque appeared for Shamim. On the other hand, Senior lawyers Tanjib-ul-Alam and Mustafizur Rahman Khan argued for Independent Candidate A K Azad, who challenged the candidacy of Shamim with the EC over his dual citizenship before the HC.
The same HC bench on Monday upheld the Election Commission’s decision to cancel the nomination of Enamul Haque Babul, the ruling Awami League’s candidate from Jashore-4. The court issued the order in response to a writ petition filed by Enamul challenging the EC’s decision.