Petition filed to halt nat'l election schedule
A Supreme Court (SC) lawyer yesterday moved a petition before the High Court seeking a directive on Election Commission (EC) and government not to publish any schedule for the 11th parliamentary election until the disposal of a pending rule in this regard.
Advocate Md Eunus moved the petition as a supplementary writ petition before the HC bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Ahmed Sohel for an order of injunction.
The bench asked Eunus to move the petition before a regular HC bench after the court reopens following the annual vacation.
On May 2014, Eunus Ali Akond, an independent aspirant for Barishal-5 constituency by-polls, filed the petition, after he failed to secure signatures of one percent voters in the constituency in his nomination form.
In his petition, he argued any citizen over the age of 25 can contest in the elections, as per the constitution.
But the Representation of People's Order (RPO) that requires signature from one percent voters in cases of independent aspirants is arbitrary and contrary to the constitution, he added.
Following the petition, HC issued a rule questioning the legality of RPO provision.
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