HC orders to seize ballots in Dhaka-16: Aminul challenges poll result
The High Court has ordered the Election Commission to take custody of ballot papers, result sheets and other election materials from the Dhaka-16 constituency following a petition alleging vote rigging in the 13th national parliamentary election.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque, who contested the seat as a BNP candidate, filed the case challenging the election results.
In the 12 February polls, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Colonel (retd) Abdul Baten
defeated Aminul in Dhaka-16. The directive was issued on Sunday by a single-member bench of Justice Md Zakir Hossain. The court also served a notice on the winning candidate and fixed June 8 for the next hearing.
Senior lawyer Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol represented petitioner Aminul Haque in court.
Prior to this petition, more than 15 candidates had filed similar cases with the High Court. After accepting those petitions for hearing, the court ordered the preservation of ballots and other election materials from the respective constituencies.
Under Section 49 of the Representation of the People Order, election petitions over alleged irregularities are heard by an election tribunal formed within the High Court.
Currently, a single bench led by Justice Md Zakir Hossain is dealing with such petitions.
According to the High Court division’s cause list, the bench will hear election petitions under the Representation of the People Order, 1972, as amended by the Representation of the People (Amendment) Ordinance, 2001, along with related rules and transferred cases.
On the night of the election, tension rose in the constituency as results were being announced. Aminul demanded the suspension of results from several centres, alleging irregularities.
He later went to the Mirpur Bangla School and College polling centre and raised his objections with the officials on duty.
Thousands of his supporters gathered near the centre, while activists of Jamaat-e-Islami also assembled nearby. Army personnel were deployed around the result announcement venue to maintain order.
