SC clears way for Jhalakathi polls

The Supreme Court yesterday (January 18) cleared the way for holding election to Jhalakathi municipality scheduled for January 27.

A three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque upheld its chamber judge's order that stayed the HC order halting the process for holding election to the municipality.
In response to a writ petition, the HC on December 6 last year also issued a rule upon the Election Commission to explain why the voter list of the municipality should not be declared illegal
The apex court yesterday also directed the HC to dispose of the rule by January 23.
It passed the order after disposing of a petition for vacating its chamber judge's order that stayed the HC order.
Following a petition filed by Monirul Islam, a mayoral candidate, the chamber judge of the Appellate Division on December 15 stayed for six weeks the HC order.
Monirul's counsel Barrister Tania Amir told The Daily Star that there is no bar to hold election to Jhalakathi municipality on January 27 as the Appellate Division directed that its chamber judge's order will continue till disposal of the HC rule.
Abdul Halim Gazi, a voter in the municipality filed the writ petition with the HC challenging the voter list.
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