DNCC by-polls: SC fixes Feb 8 for hearing EC petition

The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday fixed February 8 for hearing a leave-to-appeal petition filed by the Election Commission (EC) seeking a stay on the High Court (HC) order that halted the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) polls.

After fixing the date, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Hasan Foyez Siddique sent the petition to the full bench of the apex court for its hearing.

The EC filed two separate leave-to-appeal petitions with the SC on January 31 seeking a stay on the HC order that halted the DNCC by-elections.

Yesterday, one of the two petitions was placed before the chamber judge's court for its hearing.

Following two separate writ petitions, the HC on January 17 stayed the DNCC polls for six months.

The HC issued two rules asking the authorities concerned of the EC and the government to explain in four weeks why this schedule should not be declared illegal.