The Appellate Division has fixed Monday for hearing the appeal of actor Nipun against the High Court order that stayed the decision canceling the candidacy of Zayed Khan in the Bangladesh Film Artistes’ Association election.
Headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, a full bench of the Appellate Division passed the order on Sunday after Nipun's principal lawyer Rokanuddin Mahmud said they had received the certified copy of the High Court order and could file the leave to appeal against it, according to media reports.
Mustafizur Rahman, another lawyer for Nipun, told a Dhaka-based news outlet that the Supreme Court chamber judge's order would remain effective till the hearing on the leave to appeal petition.
On February 7, the High Court stayed the election appellate board’s decision to cancel Zayed’s candidacy after hearing a petition by the actor.
The court also issued a rule asking why the board’s decision should not be declared illegal and gave the respondents a week to come up with explanations.
On February 5, the election appellate board disqualified Zayed’s candidacy on allegations of paying members to vote for him and of not adhering to the electoral code of conduct.
Nipun was declared the newly elected general secretary of the film artistes’ body.
On January 29, Ilias Kanchan won the president’s post and Zayed Khan the general secretary post in the election. Nipun, who was defeated, fought the decision.
Following her complaint, Sohanur Rahman Sohan, chairman of the appeals board, cancelled Zayed’s candidacy after finding proof of vote-buying and announced Nipun as the winner.