Writ filed challenging UP chairman’s candidature under party banner

A rights organisation today filed a writ petition challenging the legality of a provision of law that allowed candidates for the post of union parishad (UP) chairman to contest elections under political parties' banners.

Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) submitted the petition praying to the HC to declare section 19 (ka) of Local Government (Union Parishad) Election (Amendment) Act 2015 unconstitutional, saying that UP chairmen are elected under the section.

Citing from the petition, HRPB's counsel Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star that UP is a part of the local government, which is a neutral institution under the constitution.

But the impartial characteristic of the local government has been hampered due to the section, as political party men are being elected as UP chairman under this provision, he said.

Manzill said a UP chairman performs as judge of village courts and he or she should be impartial for conducting trial of cases of this court.

Violence takes place at many places of the country, as political party men were elected as UP chairman under this law, he said.

The lawyer also said the HC might hold hearing on the petition on Sunday.