HC stays bar council polls for 3 months

The High Court yesterday stayed for three months the Bangladesh Bar Council election, which was scheduled to be held on May 27.

Meanwhile, two appeals were filed with the Supreme Court yesterday seeking a stay on the HC orders. Chamber Judge of the SC Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain sent the appeals to the full bench of the apex court for hearing on Sunday.

In response to a writ petition, the HC also issued a rule asking the government and the bar council authorities to explain by four weeks why the election should not be declared illegal.

In response to another petition, the court asked the authorities to explain why amendments to the Bangladesh Bar Council Act, 2003, which limits a member to cast 14 votes for 14 members of the council, should not be declared illegal.

The HC came up with the orders and rules after hearing the two writ petitions filed by Supreme Court lawyer Eunus Ali Akond.

On May 17, Eunus in a petition pointed out anomalies in the voters list of the council and in another petition he challenged the legality of the amendment to the bar council act.

Bar council secretary Altaf Hossain, and its candidates -- AJ Mohammad Ali, AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Bodruddiza Badal -- yesterday submitted the two appeals to the SC against the HC orders.