A writ petition was filed with the HC on Wednesday against PM Sheikh Hasina, BNP chief Khaleda Zia and JP Chairman Ershad for using political banners to campaign in the Gazipur City Corporation election. The first ever city poll of Gazipur is scheduled to be held on July 6. Dr Eunus Ali Akond, a SC lawyer, filed the petition seeking HC directive to the EC not to declare the four city polls’ official results until further order.
The petition alleged the main political parties had extended their support to their mayoral candidates violating the code of conduct during the election campaign.
According to the rules of EC and the Constitution, the local government polls will have to be held under non-political banner where the candidates will not be allowed to use any political banner to run their campaign, the petition said.
The petition sought HC directive to issue a rule asking the government to explain as to why holding of a political election in Gazipur under a non-political banner should not be declared illegal.
The petition alleged that the Chief Election Commissioner has failed to stop partisan city polls wherein the local elections should have been free, fair, acceptable and beyond political influence. The Chief Election Commissioner, Local Government Secretary, Gazipur City Corporation, MA Mannan, Azmat Ullah, Jahangir Alam, BNP Chairperson and Jatiya Party Chairman have been made respondents in the petition.
-With The Independent input
