Dhaka, Aug 26 (bdnews24.com) – The High Court has cancelled the general election results in the Noakhali-6 constituency and ordered the Election Commission to hold re-elections to the seat.
The single-member bench of Justice Md Emdadul Haq gave the orders on Thursday on a writ petition filed by Ayesha Ferdous, who polled the second highest number of votes in the Dec 29, 2008 elections.
Independent MP Md Fazlul Azim was declared to have won the seat.
In Feb 2009, Ferdous had filed the petition complaining that Azim had rigged the votes, re-arranged voters in 10 centres and relocated a voting centre.
In its ruling based on 23 statements of witnesses, the court stated that the complaints against Azim were not proved. But, it was not under his jurisdiction to re-arrange voters and relocate a polling centre without consulting with the relevant assistant returning officers, it also stated.
On the grounds of the irregularities, the court asked for making new voters' roll in 10 polling centres to hold the re-elections to the constituency.
Rokon Uddin Mahmud and Mustafizur Rahman argued for Azim.
Rahman told bdnews24.com that his client would appeal against the High Court order.
Barrister Amir-Ul-Islam and Tania Ameer argued for Ferdous.
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