HC issues rule against party criteria

Staff Correspondent: The High Court (HC) has issued a rule for the government and the Election Commission over the law that set down criteria for new political parties to get registered.

HC also issued a rule asking as to why two specific clauses of the Representation of the Peoples Act and criteria for registration will not be declared illegal.

HC bench of Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice M Faruk came up with the rule on Wednesday.

The rule asked law secretary, secretary for Election Commission and the Eelection Commission to reply accordingly within four weeks.

Trinamul BNP leader Nazmul Huda, also former Minister, filed a writ petition in this regard.

Nazmul Huda himself moved for his writ while Deputy Attorney General Amatul Karim represented the state in the court.

Citing conditions, such as representation in parliament for at least once, getting at least 5 percent of the total casted votes, units in at least 33 percent of the administrative districts, offices in 100 Upazilas and proof of 200 members in each of it, Huda said they contradict with the constitution.

He argued that there are several political parties who will resort to fraudulent means to meet the conditions.
 

risingbd/Dhaka/August 23, 2017/Mehadi/A K Azad