The High Court on Monday rejected the writ petition filed by BNP-backed candidate of Dhaka North City Corporation polls Abdul Awal Mintoo challenging the cancellation of his nomination paper. An HC bench comprising Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Kazi Mohammad Izharul Haq Akand passed the order. Earlier on Sunday, Mintoo’s counsel filed the writ with the High Court challenging the cancellation of his nomination paper, after the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner, also the Appellate Authority, upheld the Election Commission’s decision declaring invalid the nomination paper of Mintoo. On April 1, the returning officer of the DNCC election rejected two mayoral nomination papers, including that of Mintoo, during scrutiny. DNCC returning officer Shah Alam turned down the nomination paper of Mintoo for procedural flaws as the person who seconded his nomination is not a voter of the DNCC. On April 2, Mintoo appealed to the divisional commissioner seeking validity of his nomination allowing him to correct their mistakes for contesting the Dhaka North City Corporation polls slated for April 28. –UNB, Dhaka.
