Hearing on Jamaat's appeal over registration adjourned till 13 May
The Appellate Division has adjourned the hearing on the Jamaat-e-Islami's appeal to regain its cancelled registration as a political party until 13 May.
Today (7 May), after hearing the arguments from Jamaat's lawyer, the bench led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed fixed the new date for the hearing.
During the proceedings, Jamaat's lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir underscored the urgency of an early hearing, arguing that the absence of Jamaat's registration has created uncertainty in the country's democratic transition. He urged the court to prioritise the matter.
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At one point, the court asked the lawyer when the appeal was filed. He replied that it was submitted in 2013. Following this, the Chief Justice scheduled the next hearing date.
The hearing on Jamaat's appeal began on 12 March 2025 but has since been deferred multiple times, with 7 May being the latest scheduled date before the current adjournment.
On 22 October last year, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court revived a previously dismissed appeal by the Jamaat-e-Islami, seeking to regain its registration as a political party. This move reopened the legal path for the party to fight for the restoration of its registration and its electoral symbol.
Earlier, on 1 September, the Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division had set 22 October for the hearing on Jamaat's petition to revive the dismissed appeal.
Jamaat-e-Islami had filed the revival petition after its original appeal – challenging the cancellation of its registration – was dismissed by the Appellate Division.
On 1 August 2013, the High Court declared Jamaat's registration as a political party illegal and void, following the disposal of a writ petition. Subsequently, on 7 December 2018, the Election Commission formally cancelled the party's registration through a gazette notification. Jamaat later appealed the High Court verdict.
However, in November 2023, the Appellate Division, then led by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan, dismissed Jamaat's appeal for default as the party's principal lawyer failed to appear for the hearing. As a result, the High Court's verdict declaring Jamaat's registration illegal remained in effect.
