HC halts polls in 18 new DSCC wards

High Court. File photo
High Court. File photo

The High Court (HC) on Thursday stayed for four weeks the elections to Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) ward councillor posts and reserved seats in 18 new wards, reports news agency UNB.

A two-member HC bench comprising Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice M Faruque passed the order in the morning after hearing on a writ petition.
The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned, including the LGRD secretary and the Chief Election Commissioner, to explain within four weeks as to why the schedule to arrange the DSCC polls will not be declared illegal.
On 17 January, Mozammel Miah, a voter, filed writ petition seeking stay on the upcoming polls to the ward councilor posts of DSCC.
The Election Commission was scheduled to arrange by-polls to the DNCC mayoral post, polls to the 36 councilor posts and 12 reserved seats in the 36 new wards - 18 of the DNCC and 18 of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) -on 26 February.
The EC fixed 18 January as the last date for filing nomination paper while scrutiny will be held on 21 and 22 January.
The closing date for nomination paper withdrawal is 29 January.
On Wednesday, The High Court (HC) stayed for three months the by-polls to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayoral post and elections to the councilor posts in 18 new wards of the city corporation.