Two more AL candidates back in the race
The chamber judge of the Supreme Court's Appellate Division yesterday cleared the way for Awami League nominees Shamim Haque for Faridpur-3 and Enamul Haque Babul for Jessore-4 to contest in the 7 January parliamentary elections.
At the same time, the court ordered the secretary of the Election Commission (EC) to ensure that they were provided with all opportunities to participate in the race.
Earlier on Monday, the High Court upheld the EC's decisions to cancel the candidature of Shamim on the charge of having dual citizenship and Enamul for defaulting on loans.
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On separate petitions, Justice M Enayetur Rahim stayed the cancellations of the two AL nominees. As a result, their lawyers said the candidates have no legal obstacles to participating in the upcoming general elections.
However, AL candidate Shammi Ahmed for Barisal-4 lost the battle in the chamber court as well.
Earlier on Monday, the High Court dismissed a writ petition challenging the EC's decision to cancel her candidature on the charge of having dual citizenship.
Subsequently, Shammi Ahmed challenged the cancellation at the chamber court, where Justice M Enayetur Rahim rejected her petition and upheld the High Court order.
As a result, lawyers say she is now finally ineligible for the election.
Meanwhile, the chamber court halted a High Court order that had stayed the EC's decision to cancel the candidature of the independent candidate for Barishal-5, Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, on the charge of having dual citizenship. So he is now out of the race.
On Tuesday, the Awami League nominee for that constituency, current MP and State Minister for Water Resources, Colonel (retd) Zahid Faruk Shamim, applied to the chamber judge to stay the HC order.
Lawyers said, as a result of this order, Sadiq Abdullah will not have the opportunity to contest the elections.
A total of five AL nominees lost their candidature due to dual citizenship and defaulting on loans.
Three of them – Shammi Ahmed for Barishal-4, Salahuddin Ahmed for Cox's Bazar-1, and Abdus Salam for Mangmonsingh-98 – could not finally return to the race.
This means, after leaving 32 seats for the Jatiya Party and 14-party alliance partners, AL candidates will now contest in 265 constituencies.
