HC stays mayoral by-polls to DNCC

High court
High court

The High Court (HC) on Wednesday stayed for three months the mayoral by-elections to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), reports news agency UNB.

A two-member HC bench comprising Justice Naima Haydar and Justice Zafar Ahmed passed the order in the morning.

The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why the schedule to hold the DNCC polls will not be declared illegal.

Earlier, on Tuesday two separate writ petitions were filed with the HC seeking stay on the upcoming by-polls to the mayoral post of DNCC.

Following the petition, the same bench heard the writ and set Wednesday to deliver the verdict.

As per the schedule declared by the Election Commission, the by-polls to the DNCC mayoral post were scheduled to be held on 26 February.

The DNCC mayoral post fell vacant with the death of Annisul Huq on 30 November last year.

The EC fixed January 18 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.

Besides, the EC was scheduled to arrange 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 the same day.