HC rejects appeals to restore Khaleda’s nominations

Raj Ahmed of DOT
The High Court rejected three petitions to restore Khaleda Zia’s nominations for three parliamentary races in the upcoming parliamentary elections, which effectively blocks the opposition chairperson from competing.
The bench of Justice JBM Hassan issued the decision yesterday, to the outcome of Khaleda’s team expressing a lack of confidence in the bench, reports The Daily Star.
The bench consisting of only a single justice was formed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain on December 12 after another High Court bench issued a split verdict on Khaleda Zia’s ability to contest the polls.
The hearings began on December 13 while Khaleda’s legal team said they were not confident of receiving justice at that bench and the judge then adjourned the hearing. The matter was raised again on Tuesday after Khaleda’s lawyer AJ Mohammad Ali expressed his lack of confidence in the bench in writing.
The court dismissed the petition and ordered the hearing to begin, upon which AJ Mohammad Ali and Badruddoza Badol, Khaleda’s other lawyer, left the courtroom. Election Commission lawyer Mahbubey Alam and state lawyer Motahar Hossain Saju then presented their arguments before the court rejected Khaleda’s nominations.