CT Online Desk:

The Supreme Court chamber judge today stayed a High Court order that directed the Election Commission (EC) not to issue any gazette notification on the Dhaka-4 election result. Justice M Enayetur Rahim, chamber judge of the Appellate Division of SC, also ordered the secretary at the parliament to immediately take necessary steps for administering oath to independent candidate Md Awlad Hossain, who was declared elected from Dhaka-4 in the January 7 election. The apex court chamber judge passed the order following a petition filed by Awlad challenging the HC order, his lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star.

He said the EC has already issued a gazette notification declaring Awlad elected from Dhaka-4 constituency. On January 9, the HC directed the EC not to issue any gazette notification on Dhaka-4 election result for alleged irregularities including vote rigging at 18 polling centres during the national election held on January 7. According to the unofficial result, independent candidate Md Awlad Hossain defeated Awami League candidate Sanjida Khanam in this constituency.

In response to a writ petition, the HC ordered the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to constitute a committee to probe the allegations of irregularities and to dispose of those in 10 days. The EC has been asked to settle the complaints, which were lodged by Sanjida Khanam regarding the irregularities during the polling, in two weeks. At the same time, the HC issued a rule asking the government and CEC to explain in three weeks why the inaction of the returning officer and EC to settle the complaints of Sanjida should not be declared illegal.

The HC bench of Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman and Justice Md Bashir Ullah issued the directives and rule following a writ petition filed by Sanjida Khanam seeking stay on publication of the election result of the constituency until disposal of her complaints. Sanjida's lawyer Shah Monjurul Hoque told The Daily Star that Awlad's hooligans have cast false votes and stuffed ballots at 18 polling stations.

Besides, ballots were not signed by the presiding officers concerned, he said, adding that video footage and still pictures on the irregularities were submitted before the HC along with the writ petition. Shah Monjurul also said Sanjida had lodged two separate complaints with the returning officer and EC on January 7 and 8, but they have not taken any action to this effect. Senior Advocates Md Motaher Hossain Sazu and ABM Altaf Hossain appeared for Sanjida while Barrister Khan Mohammad Shameem Aziz stood for the EC during the hearing today.

DCT/OL/AH/END