SC clears way for Jewellers’ assoc polls

The Supreme Court yesterday cleared the way for the authorities concerned to hold the election to Bangladesh Jewellers’ Association (BAJUS) today.

The apex court stayed a High Court order that halted the process for holding the election to the 35-member executive body of BAJUS for 2019-2021 session.

A seven-member bench of the appellate division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the association’s incumbent President Ganga Charan Malakar and Secretary Dilip Agrawal, seeking stay on the HC order.

There is no legal bar for holding the election today to elect the new executive committee of BAJUS following the SC order, Advocate AM Aminudin, a lawyer for Ganga and Dilip, told The Daily Star.

Additional Attorney General Murad Reza also appeared for Ganga and Dilip.

Following a writ petition filed by Bipul Ghosh, a candidate for the post of executive member, the HC on November 4 stayed the process for holding the election.

The writ petitioner claimed in the petition that there are 114 disputed voters in the voter list finalised by the election board on September 29 for holding the BAJUS election.

An appeal was filed with the Arbitration Tribunal of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), challenging the voter list. The Arbitration Tribunal rejected the appeal on October 30.

Advocate Imam Hasan, a lawyer for the writ petitioner, told this newspaper that the BAJUS election will be held today on a voter list where there are 144 disputed voters.

A total of 666 voters have been enlisted to cast votes in the election, he added.

Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Barrister Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury appeared for the writ petitioner.