EC 'awaits' High Court decision on Dhaka voting day

The Election Commission is 'awaiting' the High Court’s decision on whether to change Jan 30 as the voting day for the two city corporations of Dhaka as it coincides with Saraswati Puja.

The four commissioners sat with Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda on Sunday amid discussions over the issue after the court was moved.

“We haven’t discussed anything about the vote,” Election Commissioner Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury told the media.

Another commissioner said one of them wanted to discuss it but others stopped the commissioner arguing that it is a court matter now and they will follow what the court decides.

After the EC announced the schedule on Dec 22 last year, the Puja Udjapon Parishad requested the commission to change the date citing Saraswati Puja.  The Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Unity Council threw their support behind the demand later, but the EC refused to budge.   

The two organisations submitted a memorandum to the EC on Jan 7 as well. Meanwhile, the Dhaka University’s Jagannath Hall, which is under the Dhaka South City Corporation and houses Hindu students, sent a letter to the returning officer. Dhaka University Central Students’ Union or DUCSU also urged the EC to shift the vote.  

Several institutions under Dhaka South and North city corporations organise Saraswati Puja and are also used as polling stations.

A lawyer, Ashok Kumar Ghosh, later moved the High Court seeking an order to change the voting day.

The case appeared on Sunday’s cause-list of the bench headed by Justice Md Moinul Islam Chowdhury, but it was dropped as the panel does not have the jurisdiction to hear election-related cases.

The appeal was then pressed at the bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Md Khairul Alam. It is expected to be on the panel’s cause-list for Monday.

Earlier on Sunday, a group of Dhaka University students organised a human-chain demonstration on the campus demanding that the EC review its decision on the voting day.

DUCSU Assistant General Secretary Saddam Hussain, who was among the student leaders that joined the demonstration, threatened fresh protests if the EC does not change the date.

Jagannath Hall Students’ Union Vice-President Utpal Biswas was also present.