The High Court on Sunday issued a contempt of court rule against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and four other officials for publishing the election result of a union parishad in Chattogram violating courts order.
In the rule, the court asked the respondents to explain in four weeks as to why contempt of court proceeding should not be initiated against them for not complying with its earlier order that asked to dispose of an application filed by a union parishad candidate over election rigging and not to publish the result before disposing of the plea.
The CEC, secretary of the election commission, deputy commissioner of Chattorgram, upazila nirbahi officer of Rangunia, Chattogram, and presiding officer of Chhainipara Government primary school centre of Ranguni have been asked to comply with the rule.
The High Court bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed in this regard.
Ahmed Kabir, a member candidate of union parishad election of the Pomra union parishad in Rangunia upazila, filed the writ petition seeking High Court directives over the issue.
Mr Kabir took part in the election held on November 28 last year. After the announcement of the result he brought allegations of vote rigging in the election and filed written representations to the upazila nirbahi officer and regional election officer in Chattogram zone on December 2 in 2021.
On the same day, he filed a writ petition with the High Court. Upon hearing the writ petition the High Court on December 6 last year directed the respondents to dispose of the representation of the petitioner within 15 days from the date of the receipt of the order without fail.
It also directed that the operation of the gazette notification declaring the result of Ward no 2 of the Pomra union parishad be stayed till disposal of the representations by the respondents.
But authorities of the election commission office published the result violating the High Court order. Then the petitioner filed a contempt of court petition against five persons including the CEC on the charge of violating High Court’s earlier order. After holding a hearing on the petition the High Court issued contempt of court rule against five persons.
Barrister ABM Altaf Hossain appeared in the court on behalf of the contempt petitioner, while deputy attorney general Amti Das Gupta represented the state.