Ishraque mayoral oath: Appellate Division to hear Election Commission's comments

Bangladesh’s top court has asked to hear the Election Commission’s (EC) comments on the gazette issued declaring BNP leader Ishraque Hossain the mayor of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).

The Supreme Court’s Appellate Division set Thursday for the decision.

A seven-member bench led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed made the decision on Wednesday.

The bench heard the leave to appeal plea on a petition requesting an order barring Ishraque from taking the Dhaka South mayoral post. The High Court had previously dismissed the petition on May 22.

Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon represented Ishraque at the hearing, while Barrister Mohammad Hossain represented the petition.

The High Court bench of Justice Md Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice Debasish Roy Choudhury decided that the petitioner did not have the jurisdiction to file the petition.

Petitioner lawyer Mamunur Rashid challenged the High Court’s decision on Monday and requested that the High Court’s decision be stayed.

Supporters of Ishraque have been protesting in front of the DSCC offices at Nagar Bhaban to push for him to be sworn in. The protest has suspended most work in the building for about two weeks.

The Local Government Division says that Ishraque’s oath-taking is “under consideration by the judiciary” and is waiting for the court’s decision.