HC questions legality of EC decision

The High Court (HC) yesterday questioned the legality of a decision by Election Commission (EC) regarding the cancellation of Homna-Meghna constituency in Comilla.

The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Shahidul Karim issued the rule asking the EC and the government to explain in three weeks why a gazette notification issued in this regard should not be scrapped.

The rule was issued following a writ petition filed by Meghna Upazila Awami League President Shafiqul Islam and seven others against the gazette notification. It also directed the respondents to show causes why a direction should not be given canceling the gazette notification.

The chief election commissioner, secretary to the EC, deputy commissioner of Comilla, regional and district election officers and upazila nirbahi officers of Homna, Meghna and Titas upazilas have been made respondents to the rule.

On April 30, EC issued a gazette notification to delimit the constituencies of Homna and Titas upazilas by cancelling the previous Homna-Meghna constituency, in violation of the relevant law, Advocate Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star.

The EC issued the gazette notification in line with an application submitted by Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad ignoring the elected representatives of local people, the lawyer added.