A new High Court bench was formed to hear a writ petition challenging the process of electing Mohammed Shahabuddin as the next president of Bangladesh, and the validity of the Election Commission's gazette.
Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique formed the new bench, as Justice Ahmed Sohel, one member of the previous bench -- felt “embarrassed” to hear the writ petition.
The new bench comprising Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir was formed on Tuesday.
On March 7, Supreme Court lawyer MA Aziz Khan filed the writ petition with the concerned branch of the High Court.
However, when the High Court bench refused to hear the writ, it forwarded to the chief justice for a decision.
In this regard, Justice Ahmed Sohel expressed embarrassment, saying he was a lawyer at Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) for five years.
“Mohammed Shahabuddin was a former commissioner of the Anti Corruption Commission. According to Section 9 of the ACC Act 2004, A former ACC commissioner is not permitted to hold any profitable position,” he said.
Mohammed Shahabuddin, a retired judge and former commissioner of the ACC, was elected as the country's 22nd president.
On February 13, a gazette was issued declaring him elected as president of Bangladesh under Section 7 of the Presidential Election Act, 1991.
Mohammed Shahabuddin will succeed current President M Abdul Hamid after his term expires on April 23.
