SC drops plea against BNP MP Sarowar, AG says no legal bar remains to performing duties
A bench led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury passed the order this morning.
The Appellate Division today (29 July) removed from its cause list a petition seeking to bar the BNP's Chattogram-2 MP Sarowar Alamgir from performing his duties in the 13th Parliament, clearing the way for him to continue serving as a lawmaker.
Following the order, Attorney General Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal told reporters that there is no legal bar preventing Sarwar Alamgir from carrying out his responsibilities as a member of parliament.
A bench led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury passed the order this morning.
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The petition was filed by Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Nurul Amin, who sought a stay on a High Court verdict that upheld the validity of Sarowar's nomination.
Yesterday, the Appellate Division concluded the hearing and fixed today for its order.
The legal dispute stemmed from Nurul's allegation that Sarowar was a loan defaulter.
Acting on the complaint, the Election Commission cancelled Sarowar's candidature on 18 January.
Alamgir challenged the decision in the High Court, which on 27 January stayed the Election Commission's order, issued a rule, and directed the authorities to allow him to contest the 12 February general election.
Nurul subsequently obtained leave to appeal before the Appellate Division.
On 3 February, the apex court allowed Sarowar to contest the election but ordered that the result be withheld until the appeal was resolved.
Although Sarowar secured the highest number of votes, the result was not officially published in line with the court's directive.
On 16 June, the Appellate Division disposed of the leave-to-appeal petition, directing the High Court to dispose of the pending rule as expeditiously as possible, preferably within two weeks.
It also ordered that the interim order issued on 3 February would remain in force until the High Court decided the rule.
On 9 July, a High Court bench comprising Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Md Asif Hasan upheld the validity of Sarowar's nomination.
Sarowar took the oath of office as a member of parliament the same day.
Nurul later filed the petition seeking to stay the High Court verdict and prevent Sarowar from functioning as an MP.
However, with today's order removing the matter from the Appellate Division's cause list, there is no longer any legal impediment to his serving as a member of parliament.
