The High Court has suspended the elections to the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (Sust) Central Students’ Union (Sucsu) and hall councils in Sylhet.
Voting in the Sucsu election was scheduled to be held on Tuesday.
The order was passed on Monday by a High Court bench comprising Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Md Asif Hasan, following a writ petition.
Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol, Barrister Rashna Imam and Barrister Moniruzzaman Asad represented the writ petitioner, while Advocate Mohammad Hossain Lipu appeared for the university. Additional Attorney General Anik R Haque represented the state.
Earlier, on Sunday, a writ petition was filed with the High Court seeking a stay on the Sucsu and hall council elections.
The petition was filed by independent Sucsu candidate Mominur Rashid Shuvo. The Chief Election Commissioner and other relevant officials were made respondents in the petition.
According to the writ, the Election Commission had issued directives to suspend all types of elections ahead of the national parliamentary election. In such circumstances, allowing th Sucsu election to proceed would be unlawful.
Meanwhile, the campaign period for candidates contesting the Sucsu and hall council elections had earlier been extended by 12 hours. The information was disclosed in a notice signed by the Sucsu Chief Election Commissioner Abul Mukit Mohammad Mokaddes.
The notice stated that campaigning by Sucsu candidates was disrupted after the Bangladesh Election Commission imposed a suspension on all elections across the country on January 12.
Later, on January 15, the Election Commission granted permission to hold the Sucsu election on Tuesday. To facilitate campaigning, the deadline was extended to 9pm on Sunday.