Reinstatement of 85 election officers stayed for a month

The High Court yesterday stayed for a month the Election Commission's (EC) action reinstating 85 persons as upazila election officers.
The court also issued a rule upon the government and the EC to explain within two weeks why their reinstatement without completing the legal process should not be declared illegal.
An HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Md Delwar Hossain passed the order upon a public interest writ petition filed by Matiyar Rahman Hawlader of Barisal.
The petitioner stated that the caretaker government had legally terminated 85 persons since they were appointed on political consideration during the BNP-Jamaat alliance government.
If they are reinstated, they can create obstacles to holding fair elections, he said in the petition.
On May 17, the EC reinstated them following a verdict delivered by the Administrative Appellate Tribunal.
Matiyar said the EC reinstated the 85 without moving any appeal with the Supreme Court against the verdict.
A total of 303 upazila election officers were recruited in 2005. The recruitment sparked controversy as they were considered to be partisans.
After it was reconstituted in February 2007, the EC decided to test their efficiency for the post.
Of them, 218 people passed the examination held on May 18, 2007. The EC secretariat cancelled appointments of the rest 85 persons.
Advocate Toshadduk Hossain appeared for the petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Nazrul Islam Talukder stood for the government.