High Court set to announce its decision on Dhaka voting day on Tuesday

The High Court is set to give its ruling on whether the Election Commission should review its decision to hold the Dhaka city polls on Jan 30 as the day coincides with Sarswati Puja.

The panel of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam set Tuesday for announcing the decision after hearing a writ petition on Monday.

The petitioner, lawyer Ashok Kunar Ghosh, presented his case while Towhidul Haque argued for the EC and Deputy Attorney General Noor Us Sadiq stood for the state.

After the EC announced the schedule on Dec 22 last year, the Puja Udjapon Parishad asked 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.

The Dhaka University’s Jagannath Hall, which is under the Dhaka South City Corporation and houses Hindu students, has sent a letter to the returning officer.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union or DUCSU has 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.

Lawyer Ghosh later moved the High Court seeking an order to change the polling day.

Earlier on Monday, a group of Dhaka University teachers and students demonstrated on the campus demanding that the EC review its decision on the voting day.