HC allows AL rebel in Kachua mayoral race

The High Court yesterday directed the authorities concerned to allow Awami League's rebel candidate Ahsan Habib Pranjol to contest for the mayoral post in Kachua municipality election in Chandpur.

Responding to a writ petition filed by Ahsan challenging the legality of rejecting his nomination, it also issued a rule upon the authorities to explain why their decision to cancel the nomination of Ahsan Habib should not be declared illegal.

Khurshid Aslam Khan, Ahsan's lawyer, said the returning officer of Chandpur cancelled his client's nomination on December 6 over concealing information about the number of cases filed against him.

Ahsan in the affidavit submitted to the returning officer mentioned that he had secured acquittal in all the five cases against him whereas the actual number of cases filed against him was 15 in which he got acquittal too, Khurshid added.

The returning officer can overlook such minor mistakes as per the relevant electoral rules, the lawyer said.