High Court clears legal hurdle for presidential election
The 349-member electoral college is set to vote tomorrow, with BNP’s Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and the 11-party alliance’s Oli Ahmed in the race. TBS Report
The High Court has dismissed a writ petition seeking to make candidates who contested the latest national election eligible to vote in the presidential election, clearing the way for the scheduled 20 August vote.
A bench of Justice Razik-Al-Jalil and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury passed the order today (19 August).
Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kajal, who represented the state, said there is now no legal impediment to holding the presidential election.
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Supreme Court lawyer Saiful Alam Fuad, who contested the Dhaka-5 constituency in the 13th parliamentary election, filed the writ petition.
The High Court's order came a day after another bench rejected a separate petition seeking to suspend the presidential election schedule. Lawyer Yunus Ali Akand has challenged that order before the Appellate Division.
The Election Commission has scheduled voting for tomorrow (20 August) from 2pm to 5pm at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
This will be the first presidential election since 1991 to feature more than one candidate. BNP has nominated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, while the 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami has nominated Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed.
A total of 349 MPs will vote, with the Chattogram-4 seat currently vacant. Ballot papers will carry the names of the candidates, and counting will take place immediately after voting.
The presidential election was scheduled following the resignation of 22nd President Mohammed Shahabuddin on 24 July.
