The High Court has dismissed a rule that sought to introduce an alternative system for issuing National Identity (NID) cards using biometric features instead of photographs.
A High Court bench comprising Justice Md Iqbal Kabir and Justice SM Saiful Islam delivered the verdict on Wednesday.
As a result, photographs will remain mandatory for obtaining an NID card.
Lawyers Sheikh Omar Sharif and Ilias Ali Mondal represented the petitioner, while lawyer Kamal Hossain Miyaji appeared for the Election Commission.
Confirming the verdict, Miyaji said the dismissal of the rule meant that NID cards could not be issued without photographs.
Sumaiya Ahmad Muna, a resident of Shantibagh in the capital's Shahjahanpur area, filed the writ petition in 2022, stating that she observes purdah in accordance with Islamic Sharia and therefore refrains from having her photograph taken.
Her husband, Muhammad Arifur Rahman, was authorized to act on her behalf in connection with the petition.
On February 10, 2022, Muna submitted an application to the Election Commission seeking an alternative method of obtaining an NID card without providing a photograph.
She said that as an adult Muslim woman who strictly observes purdah, she had been unable to obtain an NID card and was consequently being deprived of various services and benefits.
As her application remained unresolved, she filed a writ petition with the High Court.
Following a hearing, the High Court issued a rule on March 6, 2022, asking why the authorities should not be directed to take necessary steps to issue NID cards using alternative identification methods, including biometric features, without requiring photographs.
The High Court dismissed the rule on Wednesday.
During the initial hearing, state counsel argued that the petition itself was unconstitutional, noting that photographs are required for purposes including Hajj registration and opening bank accounts.
The state also argued that biometric identification could require iris scanning, which would involve lifting the veil.
