State Minister Aminul challenges Dhaka-16 poll results; HC orders seizure of ballots
The High Court has directed the Election Commission to take custody of the ballot papers, result sheets, and other election materials from the Dhaka-16 constituency following a case alleging vote rigging in the 13th national parliamentary election.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque, who contested Dhaka-16 as a BNP candidate, filed the case challenging the results of the 13th general election.
In the 12 February polls, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Colonel (retd) Abdul Baten defeated Aminul in Dhaka-16.
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The order was issued today (8 March) by a single-judge bench of Justice Md Zakir Hossain.
The court also issued a notice to the winning candidate of the constituency.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 8 June.
Senior lawyer Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol appeared in court on behalf of petitioner Aminul Haque.
Before this petition, more than 15 candidates had filed similar ones with the High Court. After accepting those applications for hearing, the court ordered that ballots and other relevant election materials from the constituencies concerned be preserved.
According to Section 49 of the Representation of the People Order, an election petition against alleged electoral irregularities is heard by an election tribunal formed at the High Court. A single bench headed by Justice Md Zakir Hossain is currently hearing such petitions.
According to the cause list of the High Court division, along with other civil jurisdictions, this bench will hear and accept election petitions under the Representation of the People Order, 1972, as amended by the Representation of the People (Amendment) Ordinance, 2001.
The bench will also hear related rules, petitions and matters transferred to it.
On the election night, when results were coming in, tension gripped the constituency over the announcements.
At the time, Aminul demanded suspension of the results from multiple centres, alleging irregularities. He went to the Mirpur Bangla School and College polling centre and formally raised his demand with the officials on duty.
At least thousands of supporters of Aminul gathered near the centre. On the opposite side, Jamaat activists also took up position there.
Members of the army were deployed there, surrounding the results announcement venue to maintain order.
