Writ petition filed seeking stay on election activities

A writ petition was filed on Wednesday with the High Court seeking its directives to issue a stay order on the activities related to the upcoming national election.

General Secretary of the Bangladesh Congress Md. Earul Islam filed the writ petition with the HC bench concerned.

The petition also sought directives to recruit district and upazila election officers instead of appointing Deputy Commissioner and UNO as returning and assistant returning officers.

If the High Court issues a rule after the primary hearing, the petition sought suspension of all activities for the 13th national election until the rule is settled.

The petition said running the Election Commission Secretariat and conducting elections with officials of the executive branch is inconsistent with the Constitution.

It said the Election Commission, like the judiciary, must have its own independent manpower.

For this reason, the petitioner sought a directive to form an ‘Electoral Service Commission’.

It said Constitution assigns election management to the Election Commission while the executive branch is meant to provide assistance.

But in practice, responsibility for conducting elections has repeatedly been given to the executive branch, the petition said.

As a result, elections have become controversial, it added.