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Bangla court nullifies election of lawmaker
Dhaka, Sept 14: Bangladesh`s High Court today nullified the election of a national lawmaker from the ruling coalition after ruling that he broke campaign rules.
Dhaka, Sept 14: Bangladesh's High Court today nullified the election of a national lawmaker from the ruling coalition after ruling that he broke campaign rules.
High Court Judge Iman Ali declared void the election of Delwar Hossain Saidee of Jamat-e-Islami, an Islamic Party that is part of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's four-party
coalition.
The ruling came two years after a petition was filed by Sudangsu Sekhar Haldar, a former lawmaker from the opposition Awami League party and the runner-up for Saidee's seat in the 2001 parliamentary elections.
The loss of Saidee's seat would not affect Zia's government because the coalition enjoys a two-thirds majority in the 300-seat Parliament. Today's ruling said Saidee's election was invalid because he had spent more money in the campaign than the allowed maximum of 500,000 taka (USD 8,600), and used banned campaign materials such as color posters and leaflets and denigrating propaganda against his opponents.
Saidee also failed to prepare a legally required affidavit of the election returns, the court said.
Lawyers for the defendant denied the charges. He may appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court upholds the high court ruling, then a by-election will be held in Saidee's constituency in southern Pirojpur district.
Bureau Report
The ruling came two years after a petition was filed by Sudangsu Sekhar Haldar, a former lawmaker from the opposition Awami League party and the runner-up for Saidee's seat in the 2001 parliamentary elections.
The loss of Saidee's seat would not affect Zia's government because the coalition enjoys a two-thirds majority in the 300-seat Parliament. Today's ruling said Saidee's election was invalid because he had spent more money in the campaign than the allowed maximum of 500,000 taka (USD 8,600), and used banned campaign materials such as color posters and leaflets and denigrating propaganda against his opponents.
Saidee also failed to prepare a legally required affidavit of the election returns, the court said.
Lawyers for the defendant denied the charges. He may appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court upholds the high court ruling, then a by-election will be held in Saidee's constituency in southern Pirojpur district.
Bureau Report