The High Court (HC) yesterday "exonerated" Election Commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain from a contempt of court charge, while observing that he was grossly contemptuous.
An HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain said the election commissioner was contemptuous of the court by making comments on a sub judice matter regarding the Jatiya Sangsad membership of Awami League leader MK Alamgir.
The "exoneration" was granted because the accuser, MK Alamgir, himself had requested for the relief, it added.
The bench also hoped that Sohul Hussain will be respectful of the court in future while making any comment.
The HC on September 26 stayed for six moths an Election Commission (EC) decision declaring the parliamentary seat of MK Alamgir vacant.
Sohul the following day told the media that the EC had issued a gazette notification regarding the commission's decision in accordance with law, and it would challenge the HC stay order at the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
MK Alamgir filed a contempt of court charge with the HC against Sohul on September 28, following the election commissioner's comments.
The HC bench yesterday in the verdict observed that Sohul showed utter disrespect to the authority of law by also not appearing before the court on October 7 in connection with the charge filed against him, despite a court order to do so.
Sohul did not appear before the HC on that day, and filed a petition seeking a recall of its stay on the EC decision instead.
MK Alamgir on the same day submitted the petition to exonerate Sohul from the charge, considering the commissioner's old age.
During the pronouncement of verdict yesterday, Justice Shamsuddin also questioned whether Sohul's conduct was becoming of an election commissioner.
Sohul's comments were unfortunate and unwarranted, since he holds a very high ranking constitutional office and cannot make prejudicial remarks on a sub judice matter, the judge said adding that the future of democracy depends on conducts of election commissioners.
Although the chief election commissioner had refrained from making any comment on the sub judice matter, Sohul went on to make the comments which amounted to influencing the minds of judges, the justice observed.
Barrister Rokan Uddin Mahmud appeared for MK Alamgir, while Advocate Shahdeen Malik argued for Sohul.
Contacted by The Daily Star last evening, Election Commissioner Sohul said he heard about the exoneration, but did not know anything more about the matter yet.