NCP leader Monira seeks stay on Nusrat Tabassum’s reserved seat gazette ahead of HC hearing
She argued that any finalisation of Nusrat’s candidature before the hearing would cause irreparable damage and urged the Election Commission to wait for the court’s decision.
National Citizen Party (NCP) leader and Jamaat-allied candidate Nusrat Tabassum's nomination, though declared valid by the Election Commission, has become the subject of an ongoing legal dispute after another NCP leader, Monira Sharmin, sought to halt her election gazette notification until the resolution of her writ petition.
Monira Sharmin submitted a written request to the returning officer asking that no gazette be issued declaring Nusrat elected to a reserved women's seat in the 13th National Parliament until her case is heard by the High Court.
In her petition, she said her nomination for a reserved seat was initially cancelled on 23 April, which she challenged through Election Appeal No 1/26. The appeal was rejected on 28 April. She then filed Writ Petition No 5461/26 before the High Court, with a hearing scheduled tomorrow (4 May).
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She argued that any finalisation of Nusrat's candidature before the hearing would cause irreparable damage and urged the Election Commission to wait for the court's decision.
The returning officer, EC Joint Secretary Moin Uddin Khan, confirmed receipt of her application. He added that Nusrat's nomination had already been approved by the commission.
The dispute stems from nominations for reserved women's seats under the proportional representation system, where 49 candidates were declared elected: 36 from the BNP-led alliance, 12 from the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance, including NCP, and one from an independent alliance.
Among Jamaat-aligned nominees, NCP's Monira Sharmin and Mahmudah Alam Mitu were initially nominated. Monira's nomination was later rejected under Section 12(1)(Cha) of the Representation of the People Order, which bars candidates from contesting public office within three years of resigning from government service.
She had joined Bangladesh Krishi Bank in November 2023 and resigned in December 2023.
Following her disqualification, NCP nominated Nusrat Tabassum Jyoti on 21 April. Her nomination, however, was submitted 19 minutes past the deadline and initially rejected, but later accepted following a High Court directive and subsequently declared valid by the Election Commission.
The remaining reserved seat remains unresolved amid ongoing litigation, while preparations continue for the swearing-in of elected members.
