HC asks EC not to accept BNP’s amended charter

Staff Correspondent: The High Court has asked the Election Commission (EC) not to accept the amended Article 7 of BNP’s constitution and dispose of the petition in this regard within a month.

The bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Mohammad Ali on Wednesday passed the order following a petition filed by Mozammel Hossain, a resident of the city’s Kafrul area.

The BNP’s amended charter has deleted the provision against bankrupt, insane, corrupt or notorious individuals from being BNP candidate for contesting Jatiya Sangsad elections.

It has been replaced with a provision that the chief of BNP will hold the office of the chairperson; and any person less than 30 years cannot be the head of the party.

Advocate Momtaz Uddin Ahmed Mehedi stood for the petitioner while deputy attorney general Al Amin Sarker and assistant attorney general KM Masud Rumi represented the state.

Advocate Momtaz Uddin Ahmed Mehedi, said Mozammel, a BNP activist, filed a petition with the Election Commission on Tuesday seeking not to grant the constitutional amendment of BNP.

He also said if the amendment is accepted, it will also allow corrupt and incapable people to be the leader of BNP. Besides, the amendment is contradictory to section 66 (2) (ga) of the constitution.

He also filed a writ petition with the High Court on the same day seeking its disposal.

As BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman were convicted in a graft case, BNP has recently amended the party’s constitution.  Later, it was sent to the Election Commission for granting.
 

risingbd/Dhaka/October 31, 2018/Mahidi/A K Azad