High Court Moved to Stay Dhaka City Polls

The High Court has filed a petition seeking a stay on the upcoming Dhaka City corporation polls scheduled for Feb 1.

Supreme Court lawyer Yunus Ali Akand filed the writ today. He said that it will be presented in the court of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam tomorrow.

The law and secretaries of the local government, the chief election commissioner and the two Dhaka city corporations ' returning officers were made respondents in the writ.

According to the petition, the laws dictate that independent candidates for mayor must be backed by at least 300 voters in order to contest the polls. However, the same clause does not apply for the members of the group that violates Articles 7, 19, 26, 27, 28 and 31 of the Constitution.

In fact, there is no option to delay the election without a new poll date being confirmed, it said.

The petition said that the voter list must be updated from Jan 2 to Jan 31 but the draft list was published on Jan 20 depriving new voters of being able to vote.

It added that the term of a mayor should be five years from the first meeting but this year the schedule was announced six months early.