The High Court has fixed Monday for the hearing of a writ petition challenging the provision that, even if political parties contest the upcoming national parliamentary election as an alliance, they must still participate using their own party symbols.
On Sunday, a High Court bench headed by Justice Fatema Najib issued this order.
Senior Lawyer Ahsanul Karim appeared for the writ petitioner in court, assisted by Barrister Sahedul Azam.
Earlier, on Wednesday, a writ petition was filed challenging the provision that requires multiple registered political parties in an electoral alliance to contest the polls using their own party symbols. The petition seeks to annul this clause in the Representation of the People Order (RPO). It was submitted to the relevant High Court branch by Mominul Islam, secretary-general of the Bobby Hajjaj–led National Democratic Movement (NDM).
The chief election commissioner and others have been made respondents in the writ petition.
It may be noted that on November 3, the government issued an amendment ordinance to the RPO, adding a provision that even if multiple registered political parties form an electoral alliance, they must contest the election with their own party symbols.
Previously, if parties contested as part of an alliance, they could use the symbol of any party within that alliance. Earlier, on October 23, the Advisory Council granted policy approval to the draft of the amended ordinance.
The BNP had voiced objections to the provision requiring alliance partners to contest with their own symbols. The party communicated its objections in writing to the Election Commission and the Ministry of Law. Several smaller parties interested in forming alliances also expressed discomfort with the government’s decision.
Later, Jamaat-e-Islami reacted strongly, stating they had learned that the government had decided in principle to withdraw the provision. However, the ordinance was eventually issued with the provision intact.