Lawyer challenges validity of EC’s notice for new party registration

He believes it was improper to issue a public notice before implementing the reform commission’s recommendation

A lawyer has filed a writ petition challenging the validity of the public notice issued by the Election Commission (EC) relating to registration for new political parties.

The High Court dual bench of Justice Md Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja will hear the petition later this week.

The EC, the Chief Election Commissioner, and the Election Commission Secretariat secretary were asked to respond to the petition by Rastro Sangskar Andolon, or State Reform Movement, chief and Supreme Court lawyer Hasnat Qayum on Monday.

He told bdnews24.com: “A request has been made to issue a rule asking why the public notice should not be scrapped.

“The EC issued the public notice per the Political Parties Registration Act 2008. This was done during the previous army-backed caretaker government, which the Awami League government then amended and made more stringent.

“The Electoral Reform Commission has recommended the rules be amended and simplified. But the notification was issued earlier, which was inappropriate.

“Additionally, according to the notice, the registration requires committees in 22 districts and 100 Upazilas. Due to such conditions, the ethnic minorities have to stay out of politics."

The EC issued the notification on Mar 10.

EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said at the Election Building in Dhaka’s Agargaon that day: “A notification has been issued for the registration of new parties. New ones who are seeking registration as a political party can apply to us by meeting the stipulated conditions until Apr 20."