Appellate Division quashes writs challenging presidential election

The Appellate Division on Tuesday dismissed the writs challenging the process of electing Mohammad Shahabuddin as president, and the validity of the Election Commission’s gazette in this regard, reports UNB.

Appellate Division Chamber Judge Jahangir Hossain Selim passed the order.

Earlier on 15 March, the High Court bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir dismissed the writs. Supreme Court lawyer MA Aziz Khan filed the writ petition with the concerned branch of the High Court on 7 March.

The Election Commission and the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) had been made respondents in the writ petition. On 12 March, a High Court bench said it felt “embarrassed” to hear the writ petition.

The bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Ahmed Sohel was set to hear the petition. But it forwarded the petition to the chief justice for a decision, saying one of the bench members felt embarrassed to hear the writ petition.

Justice Ahmed Sohel recused himself, saying he was a lawyer at the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for five years, and the president-elect was a commissioner at ACC.

On 13 February, a gazette was issued declaring Mohammad Shahabuddin elected as President of Bangladesh under Section 7 of the Presidential Election Act, 1991.

Mohammad Shahabuddin will succeed current President M. Abdul Hamid after his term expires on 23 April.