Arafat Hasan of DOT : The High Court (HC) is set to deliver its order on three writ petitions filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging the Election Commission’s order that upheld the returning officers’ decision rejecting her nomination papers.
The HC bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir fixed the date after concluding hearing on the appeals. During the hearing, Advocate Mohammad Ali argued for Khaleda while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam opposed the petitions.
The former prime minister filed the petitions yesterday, seeking HC directives on the EC to accept the nomination papers so that she can run from Bogura-6, 7 and Feni-1 constituencies.
Citing from the petitions, Zainul Abedin, a lawyer for the BNP chief, told The Daily Star that the EC rejected Khaleda’s appeals on the grounds of violating the electoral code of conduct. However, the counsel pointed out that the question of Khaleda’s violating the code does not arise as she has been in jail since February,
On Saturday, the EC rejected her all three appeals against cancellation of her nomination papers by returning officers (ROs).
Khaleda landed in jail on February 8 after a special court in Dhaka sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. The HC later extended her jail term to 10 years. On October 29, Khaleda was convicted and sentenced to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment by the same court in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.