HC issues rule asking why candidacy of JaPa, NDF candidates should not be illegal

The High Court has issued a rule asking why the candidacy of contestants from the Jatiya Party (GM Quader faction) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) — led by Anisul Islam Mahmud and Jatiya Party (Manju faction) Chairman Anwar Hossain Manju — should not be declared illegal in the 13th National Parliamentary Election.

The rule was issued today (11 January) by a High Court bench led by Justice Rajik Al Jalil. Barrister ASM Shahriar Kabir represented the writ petitioner during the hearing, while Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque appeared on behalf of the state.

Earlier last week, a writ petition was filed seeking directives to bar candidates from the Jatiya Party (GM Quader faction) and the NDF from contesting the election.

The petition was filed by Abdullah Al Mahmud, a resident of Bhola and a participant in the July uprising. The respondents include the law secretary, the home secretary, the cabinet secretary, the chief election commissioner, and the election commission secretary.

According to the petition, the GM Quader-led faction of the Jatiya Party has announced candidates in 243 constituencies. The final list was unveiled last year on 26 December at the Lakeshore Hotel in Gulshan by party Secretary General Shamim Haider Patwary.

Meanwhile, the NDF — a newly formed alliance involving the Jatiya Party (Anisul Islam faction) and the Jatiya Party (Manju faction) — has announced 132 candidates for 122 constituencies.

"The High Court issued the rule exactly as sought in the writ," writ petitioner's lawyer ASM Shahriar Kabir told journalists.

"The law secretary, the secretary of the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the chief election commissioner, Jatiya Party (Ershad faction) Secretary General Shamim Haider Patwary, and NDF leaders Anisul Islam Mahmud and Anwar Hossain Manju, among others, have been asked to respond to the rule within two weeks," he added.