Key appeals rejected on first day of hearings

TDS Desk:

The Election Commission (EC) rejected an appeal against the nomination of BNP-backed candidate Zeeba Amina Khan for reserved women’s seat poll to the 13th National Parliament, allowing her candidacy to stand.

At the same time, the EC upheld the returning officer’s decision to cancel the nomination of National Citizen Party (NCP) candidate Monira Sharmin, ruling that she had not completed three years since resigning from government service.

The EC also dismissed an appeal filed against BNP candidate Madhabi Marma’s nomination, leaving her candidacy valid.

Today marked the first day of hearings on appeals against returning officers’ decisions regarding nomination papers for the reserved women’s seats. The hearings began at 11 am at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, and concluded at noon.

After the hearing, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud told reporters, “Monira Sharmin’s appeal has been rejected. Her nomination remains cancelled.”

Following the decision, Monira said she would challenge the ruling in the High Court.

“We will go to the High Court. I don’t want women’s representation in parliament and their political empowerment to become uncertain due to ambiguities in the law,” she said.

On BNP candidate Zeeba Amina Khan’s case, EC Masud said the appeal against her nomination was not valid as the appellant was not a candidate.

Meanwhile, an appeal had been filed with the EC challenging the nomination of BNP candidate Madhabi Marma. The EC heard the matter today but dismissed the appeal.

The appeal was filed by Chandra Chakma, central joint secretary of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, who alleged that Madhabi was still serving as a member of the Bandarban Hill District Council, which she claimed disqualified her from contesting.

Denying the allegation, Madhabi said she had resigned from the council on April 20.

After the hearing this afternoon, Chandra Chakma told reporters, “I was told that under the law, an appeal must be filed by an aggrieved candidate, not an individual. That’s why my appeal was not accepted. We will now go to the High Court.”