Shammi files fresh petition to contest Jan 7 polls

Staff Reporter :
Awami League candidate from Barishal-4 constituency Shammi Ahmed again filed a petition with the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking its permission to contest the January 7 national election. With the latest one, Shammi has submitted three petitions to the Appellate Division of the SC with a view to continuing the poll race.

In the petition, Shammi prayed to the apex court for asking the Election Commission to allocate the poll symbol for her so that she can compete the elections, saying that she is no more a citizen of any foreign country as she applied to the office concerned on November 27 seeking cancellation of her Australian citizenship, said Senior Advocate Shah Monjurul Hoque who appeared for Shammi.

Advocate Monjurul also said the application for cancellation of Shammi’s Australian citizenship has become effective since November 27, and her nomination papers are valid.

After the hearing on the petition, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice M Enayetur Rahim on Tuesday sent the matter to its full bench and set January 2 for a further hearing and passing order in the matter.

On December 21, the same Chamber Judge sent another petition of Shammi Ahmed, who sought for vacating its order that upheld cancellation of her candidacy from Barishal-4.

Earlier on December 19, the SC Chamber Judge affirmed a High Court order that upheld the EC’s decision to cancel her nomination papers due to her dual citizenship.

Several senior lawyers of the SC including Yousuf Hossain Humayun, Md Momtazuddin Fakir, Md Motaher Hossain Sazu, Mohammad Sayed Ahmed Raza and Shah Monjurul Hoque appeared for Shammi Ahmed before the apex court’s Chamber Judge during the hearing of the petition.