Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain on Wednesday formed a new bench to hear three writ petitions filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, challenging the Election Commission's decisions upholding the returning officers' cancellation of her three nomination papers submitted for contesting December 30 general election.

One-member bench headed by Justice JBM Hassan will now hear BNP chief’s pleas.

On Tuesday, the bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir issued a split order on Khaleda Zia's candidature for the upcoming general polls.

Senior Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed stayed the EC’s decisions and accepted Khaleda’s appeal while Justice Md Iqbal Kabir upheld EC’s rejection decisions.

As per rules, the petition was sent to the Chief Justice on Wednesday and he formed a new bench to settle the issue.

Earlier in the day, the Chief Justice sent Khaleda Zia’s election case back to a High Court panel for further clarification.

Returning officers rejected BNP chief Khaleda’s nominations for Feni-1, Bogura-6 and 7 constituencies since she had been convicted in the two graft cases. Later, the Election Commission upheld their decisions in this regard.

Khaleda then took three writ petitions to the High Court on Sunday, challenging EC’s decision upholding the returning officers' cancellation of her nomination papers.

As per rules, a convict, who served two or more years in jail in a criminal case, cannot contest elections within five years soon after the jail term.

On February 8 this year, BNP chief Khaleda was jailed for five years in Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case and her jail term was doubled by the High Court on October 30.

Earlier, a special court sentenced the BNP chief to seven-year imprisonment in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

MHK