HC questions legality of provisions of RPO, party registration rules

The High Court yesterday questioned the legality of some provisions of the Representation of the People Order (RPO) and Political Party Registration Rules (PPRR) that imposed preconditions for floating a political party and its registration with the Election Commission (EC).

The court issued a rule asking the EC and the government to explain in four weeks why the provisions should not be declared unconstitutional.

The EC, its secretary and law secretary have been made respondents to the rule, Deputy Attorney General Amatul Karim Swapna told The Daily Star.

The bench of Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice Md Faruque came up with the rule following a writ petition filed by former BNP leader and former minister Barrister Nazmul Huda challenging the legality of the provisions of RPO and PPRR.

After the court issued the rule, Barrister Nazmul Huda, who had tried to form a new political party named Trinomul BNP, told reporters that under the provisions of RPO and PPRR, there are some preconditions for forming a political party and its registration, which are against the constitution.  

According to the provisions, a politician has to be elected lawmaker for at least one time, he or she has to get at least five percent votes of the constituency, the party has to have committees in at least one-third administrative districts, office at 100 upazilas and have at least 200 voters at a thana to form a political party and its registration with the EC, he said.