HC upholds EC’s decision on JSD-Inu’s poll symbol

The High Court today upheld the Election Commission’s decision to allocate “moshal” (torch) as election symbol to the faction of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) led by Hasanul Haq Inu.

The bench of Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury and Justice Sashanka Shekhar Sarkar rejected a writ petition filed in 2016 challenging legality of the EC’s decision allocating the “moshal” symbol to the Inu-led JSD faction.

The HC judges rejected the writ petition as no lawyer for the petitioner was present before the bench during its hearing today, Deputy Attorney General Tapas Kumar Biswas told The Daily Star.

He also said the EC’s decision allocating the “moshal” symbol to JSD-Inu faction will remain in force following the HC order.

On April 28, 2016, the EC allocated the electoral symbol “moshal” to the faction of JSD led by Inu.

Following a writ petition filed by the other JSD faction led by Sharif Nurul Ambia and Nazmul Haque Prodhan, the HC on September 28, 2016 issued a rule upon the EC and Inu to explain why the EC’s decision of allocating the symbol to Inu-led faction should not be declared illegal.

None of the respondents have submitted any reply to the HC rule in black and white before the court, DAG Tapas said.