Demarcation of two Pirojpur constituencies legal: SC

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today upheld a High Court verdict that declared legal the Election Commission's decision regarding demarcating constituencies of Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim and former minister Anwar Hossain Manju in Pirojpur.

A six-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan dismissed two separate petitions challenging the HC verdict.

Petitioners' lawyer Mohammad Sayed Ahmed Raza told The Daily Star that the EC's decision regarding demarcation of two constituencies in Pirojpur will remain in force following the Appellate Division orders.

The HC on September 3 this year rejected a writ petition filed by five voters from Pirojpur constituency-1 and 2 challenging the legality of the EC's decision.

The HC said there was no breach of law in the EC's decision regarding demarcation of the constituencies.

The EC issued a gazette notification on June 1 this year demarcating the two constituencies.

Indurkani upazila of Pirojpur -2 constituency has been included in Pirojpur-1 and Nesarabad upazila of Pirojpur-1 has been included in Pirojpur-2.

The writ petitioners recently filed two separate leave to appeal petitions with the Appellate Division challenging the HC verdict.