National election SC suspends Sadiq Abdullah’s candidacy
Staff Reporter :
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed for eight weeks a High Court order that overturned the Election Commission’s decision to cancel the nomination of independent candidate Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah for contesting the national election from Barishal-5.
Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division of the SC Justice M Enayetur Rahim passed the order following a petition filed by Zahid Faruk, Awami League candidate from the same constituency, challenging the HC order.
Following the apex court chamber judge’s order, Sadiq Abdullah cannot contest the national election scheduled to be held on January 7, said lawyer Ahsanul Karim who appeared in the court hearing on behalf of Zahid Faruk.
The EC cancelled his nomination papers on the ground that he has dual citizenship. Following a writ petition, the HC on December 18 stayed the EC order and asked the commission to allow Sadiq Abdullah 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 Sadiq Abdullah challenging the EC decision.
Meanwhile, ruling Awami League nominated candidates from Faridpur-3, Shamim Haque, and from Jashore-4, Enamul Haque Babul, have regained candidacy on Tuesday from the Supreme Court to contest the January 7 national election.
The Chamber Judge stayed the HC orders that upheld the Election Commission’s decisions which cancelled the nomination papers of Shamim Haque and Enamul Haque Babul on the grounds of them having dual citizenship and defaulted loan respectively.
The apex court chamber judge also ordered the EC to allow them to contest the elections.
There is no legal bar for Shamim and Enamul from contesting elections from Faridpur-3 and Jashore-4 constituencies following the Chamber judge’s orders, said their lawyers Md Momtaz Uddin Fakir and Shah Monjurul Hoque.
The Chamber Judge also upheld a High Court order that on Monday rejected a writ petition filed by ruling Awami League’s candidate from Barishal-4 constituency Shammi Ahmed challenging the Election Commission’s decision that cancelled her nomination due to her dual citizenship.
The Chamber Judge asked the Election Commission to accept the nomination paper of industrialist Alam Ahmed, an independent candidate from Gazipur-4 constituency. Earlier on December 18, the High Court upheld the Election Commission’s decision which denied his nomination paper on the charge of defaulted loan.
