Court fixes 25 July for hearing on validity of oath by 290 lawmakers

The Chamber Court of the Appellate Division has fixed 25 July for hearing the appeal against dismissal of a writ challenging the validity of the oath taken by 290 lawmakers of the 11th National Parliament and seeking directions for its dissolution.

A full bench of the Appellate Division will hear the matter, Appellate Division Chamber Justice M Enayetur Rahim said on Monday.

Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon represented the petitioner in court while Attorney General AM Amin Uddin appeared on behalf of the state.

Earlier on Sunday, pro-BNP lawyers applied to court for a date to hear the appeal against dismissal of the writ challenging the validity of the lawmakers' oath, and to have all 290 seats declared vacant.

They filed this petition four years after the writ was dismissed.

On 18 February 2019, the High Court dismissed the writ. Later, this order was appealed to the Appellate Division.

Previously, on 8 January 2019, a legal notice was sent to the speaker of the House, chief election commissioner and cabinet secretary, over the matter.

Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, secretary general of the Supreme Court Lawyers Association and joint secretary general of the BNP, had sent the notice on behalf of Supreme Court lawyer Md Taherul Islam Tawheed.

But upon receiving no response to the letter, he filed a writ in the relevant branch of the High Court on 15 January 2019.

Article 123 (3) of the Constitution deals with the dissolution of the parliament and the swearing-in of the members of parliament. As the parliamentarians took oath again without complying with the article, there are currently two parliaments in force, which is against the constitution, according to the legal notice.