Petition seeks voting of 2.75cr govt beneficiaries

A Supreme Court lawyer yesterday moved a writ petition before the High Court seeking its directive on the government to ensure the presence of 2.75 crore beneficiaries of government's social safety net scheme at the polling centres on the vote day.

In the petition, he prayed to the HC to order the government to issue certificates to the government, semi-government and retired government service holders so that they cast votes mandatorily in the elections.

Advocate Bashir Ahmed, also a former secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association, submitted the petition as a public interest litigation before the HC bench of Justice Md Iqbal Kabir Lytton and Justice SM Maniruzzaman for hearing.

The bench fixed January 10 for holing further hearing and passing order on the petition.

Petitioner Bashir Ahmed told The Daily Star that the HC has asked him to place the information and data from other countries about ensuring voters at their polling stations.

He said it is the state's responsibility to take all necessary measures to ensure casting of votes on the polls.

All citizens should exercise their voting right, he said, adding that he filed the writ petition within a view to ensuing voters' presence at the polling centres for all the elections.