Jasim's JS Membership
Why EC's decision not illegal: HC
The High Court yesterday issued a rule upon the Election Commission (EC) and the government to explain in three weeks why the EC's decision, which cancels the parliamentary membership of former Awami League lawmaker Maj (retd) Jasim Uddin, should not be declared illegal.
The rule came after Jasim Uddin filed a petition last week, saying that as per Article 66(4) of the constitution and the Member of Parliament Determination of Disputes Act 1980, the Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad (JS), not the EC, is the authority to cancel the parliamentary membership of any elected lawmaker on acceptable grounds.
On February 3, 2010, the EC cancelled Jasim Uddin's JS membership and announced the seat for Bhola-3 constituency vacant after the Supreme Court in 2009 declared his candidacy in the ninth parliamentary polls illegal, as he had contested the polls before five years had elapsed after his retirement from the defence service. The EC also held a by-election to the constituency in 2010, in which AL candidate Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shaon won.
The HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik and Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim issued yesterday's rule after hearing Jasim Uddin's petition.
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