The Election Commission (EC) has rejected the application for cancelling the candidacies of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders who are taking part in the upcoming general election with symbol sheaf of paddy nominated by BNP. As a result candidacies of the Jamaat leaders are reinstated.
After the commission meeting on Sunday Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahemd said, there is no legal scope to cancel the candidacies of Jamaat leaders.
The commission sat for taking decision over High Court ruling about candidacies of Jamaat candidates on Sunday afternoon.
According to the meeting source, in the meeting there were opinions for and against of Jamaat’s candidacy. After reviewing the laws the commissioned found no legal explanation to cancel their candidacies.
In this regard the commission upheld logic that according to RPO they are registered political party BNP’s nominated candidates. According to this they were provided the symbol sheaf of paddy. It is not clear whether they are member of Jamaat or any other party. So as a candidate there is no chance to prove whether they are members of Jamaat or not. Considering the matters the commission thinks that there is no scope to cancel their candidacies. The commission will inform the High Court about the decision by Monday.
25 leaders of Jamaat are contesting in 25 constituencies in the upcoming general election. There are three independent candidates and 22 candidates are running with BNP’s election symbol sheaf of paddy.
Recently leaders of Tarikat Federation filed a writ petition challenging candidacies of 25 Jamaat leaders. The writ sought stay order on their participation as they are members of unregistered political party Jamaat-e-Islami.
Then the High Court ordered Election Commission to solve the matter within three working days.
AH
