The High Court has directed the Election Commission to come to a decision on two Awami League MP-elects in Jessore, who have been accused of violating electoral code of conduct during the tenth parliamentary elections.
The HC bench of Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Khurshid Alam Sarkar delivered the verdict yesterday, after hearing two writ petitions challenging the commission’s non-issuance of gazette notifications naming the two lawmakers in their respective constituencies.
Sheikh Afil Uddin, who was elected uncontested from Jessore-1 constituency, and Monirul Islam, who won by votes from Jessore-2 constituency, lodged the petitions with the High Court on January 15.
Afil, also the vice-president of Jessore Awami League, allegedly directed his activists during a public meeting to take control of polling centres and cast fake votes in Jessore-2 constituency to ensure the victory of his party colleague Monirul at the parliamentary elections.
Later, the EC formed an inquiry committee after receiving a complaint from a voter in this regard. The probe committee found both Afil and Monirul guilty of violation electoral code of conduct.