The High Court on Thursday issued a contempt of court rule against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal for not giving registration to the Ganosamhati Andolon as a political party in spite of court direction.
The High Court bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman passed the order after hearing a contempt of court petition filed by Ganosamhati Andolon's Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki.
In the rule the court wanted to know from the CEC to explain in four weeks as to why a contempt of court proceeding should not be initiated against him for not giving registration to the Ganosamhati Andolon as a political party in spite of court direction.
Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua who appeared in the court hearing on behalf of the party said that following a writ petition, the HC on April 11, 2019, had directed the CEC and Election Commission to register Ganosamhati Andolon as a political party in 30 days after receiving the copy of the HC verdict.
The copy of the HC verdict was submitted to the CEC and the EC, but the commission has not registered Ganosamhati Andolon as a political party yet, which amounts to a contempt of court, he added.
K M Nurul Huda was the CEC when the HC directed for giving registration to the party. Now Kazi Habibul Awal is charge of the CEC. Awal and four other commissioners took oath on February 28 this year.
Ganosamhati Andolon's Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki filed the contempt of court petition with the High Court on February 10 this year as the EC didn’t comply with the court’s earlier order for giving registration to the parity. After hearing the petition the High Court on Thursday issued a rule.
Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua appeared in the court hearing on behalf of the Ganosamhati Andolon, while Deputy Attorney General Bepul Bagmar represented the state.
Mr Jyotirmoy said, “When the petition was filed then K M Nurul Huda was in the charge of the CEC. Later Kazi Habibul Awal was appointed as the new CEC. That is way we brought correction in the petition. And now CEC Kazi Habibul Awal is respondent to comply with the court order.”
