The Election Commission has suspended hearing on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s appeal for nomination in Feni-1, Bogura-6 and 7 constituencies. The decision will be informed after 5 pm today (Saturday).
The Chief Election Commissioner along with the other Election Commissioners took part in the hearing at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital on Saturday.
On December 2 the Returning Officers cancelled all the nomination papers of Khaleda Zia as she is sentenced for more than two years.
Khaleda Zia is in jail from February last after awarding sentence for 10 years in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case and for seven years sentence in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case by the court.
The BNP leaders hoped that she can participate in the upcoming election on December 30 after filing appeal against the verdict. According to this she was given the nominations for symbol sheaf of paddy from three constituencies in Feni and Bogura.
But in the observation of a case verdict in last week it was said that according to article 66 (2) (Gha) of the constitution she cannot participate in the election if she is awarded more than two years sentence even the appeal against the verdict is under process in the High Court, until the sentence is cancelled or stayed in that appeal.
Meanwhile, the three daylong hearing of appeals will be concluded on Saturday.
On the first day hearing of appeals of 160 persons took place out of 543 applications across the country. Of those 80 were declared valid. On the second day 78 persons got back their candidacies and 65 were rejected while 7 were pending.
The last date of withdrawal candidacy on December 9 and symbols will be allotted on December 10. The election will be held on December 30.
AH
