Appeal filed against HC dismissal of presidential election writ

Lawyer Md Yunus Ali Akand has appealed against the High Court’s dismissal of a writ petition seeking to suspend the presidential election schedule and challenge the validity of Article 70 of the Constitution.

Akand confirmed the appeal on Wednesday (Aug 19).

The High Court bench of Justice Khizir Ahmed Chowdhury and Justice AFM Saiful Karim dismissed the writ on Tuesday. Akand had filed it on Aug 13, naming the law secretary, parliament secretariat secretary and others as respondents.

Akand argued that Article 70 prevents MPs from voting independently against their party’s decision, infringing on their democratic and constitutional rights.

Meanwhile, voting in the 21st presidential election is scheduled for Thursday (Aug 20) from 2pm to 5pm in the Jatiya Sangsad chamber, according to the Election Commission.

The election was scheduled after then-President Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned on July 24.

For the first time since 1991, more than one candidate is contesting the presidential election. BNP’s Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance’s candidate, Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed, are in the race. Both nomination papers were declared valid during the EC’s preliminary scrutiny.

EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said 349 MPs will vote, as the Chattogram-4 seat is vacant. Voting will be conducted by secret ballot, with the votes counted immediately afterward in the parliamentary chamber.

Chief Election Commissioner, acting as the election officer, will announce the result, which will subsequently be published in the official gazette.