A writ petition has been filed in the High Court challenging Article 70 of the Constitution, which provides for the cancellation of the post of a member of parliament if one votes against the party’s decision in the presidential election.
At the same time, a petition has been filed to suspend the presidential election process until the writ is disposed of.
Supreme Court lawyer Yunus Ali Akand filed the writ petition with the relevant branch of the High Court on Thursday (August 13).
The writ petitioner said that the writ petition has not yet been presented to any bench with jurisdiction. Initially, it is scheduled to be presented to the bench of Justice Khizir Ahmed Chowdhury and Justice AFM Saiful Karim.
The writ petition seeks a rule on why Article 70 of the Constitution should not be declared inconsistent with the Constitution. It also seeks a rule on why the presidential election should not be declared illegal while Article 70 is in force.
According to the lawyer, if the court issues a rule after the initial hearing, there is a request to postpone the presidential election until the rule is resolved. The Law Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary have been named as respondents in the writ.
Today is the last day to file nominations.
Meanwhile, the last date for filing nomination papers for the country’s 23rd presidential election is 4 pm today, Thursday. According to the Election Commission’s schedule, nomination papers can be submitted from 10 am to 4 pm.
According to the schedule, the selection of nomination papers is scheduled for August 16, the last day for withdrawal of candidacy is August 18, and the voting is scheduled to be held in the session room of the National Parliament Building from 2 pm to 5 pm on August 20.
It will now be seen whether the writ petition has any legal impact on the scheduled schedule of the presidential election.