Stay order extended

The Supreme Court yesterday extended its order that stayed the swearing-in of Maj Gen (retd) Mahmudul Hasan as lawmaker for Tangail-5 constituency till disposal of a review petition.
The BNP-backed candidate was supposed to take oath on May 30.
Jatiya Party leader Abul Kashem, who was elected as an MP in the 2008 general election from the constituency but was later declared disqualified as a candidate for the polls, filed the review petition.
A seven-member full bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain, yesterday fixed June 5 for hearing the review petition.
Following a SC order, the Election Commission on May 7 canceled the candidacy of Abul Kashem, as he was a loan defaulter during the election and declared Mahmudul Hasan elected to the constituency, as he bagged the second-highest number of votes.
Abul Kashem filed the review petition against the SC order on May 7.
During yesterday's hearing on the petition, Anisul Huq, a counsel for Abul Kashem, prayed to the apex court to adjourn the hearing, saying that Barrister Rafique-ul Huq, the principal counsel for Abul Kashem, was not in the country.
He also prayed for staying the swearing-in till disposal of the review petition.