HC questions legality of NCP leader Monira Sharmin’s candidacy cancellation

The High Court today issued a rule questioning the legality of the Election Commission’s decision to cancel the candidacy of National Citizen Party (NCP) Joint Convener Monira Sharmin for women’s reserved seat in the 13th National Parliament.

In the rule, the court asked the EC and the government to explain why the cancellation of Monira Sharmin’s nomination paper should not be declared illegal.

The bench of Justice Razik-Al-Jalil and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury passed the order following a writ petition filed by Monira Sharmin challenging the cancellation of her candidacy.

Lawyers Mohammod Hossain Lipu, Mustafizur Rahman Khan, and Md Muzahidul Islam Shahin appeared for the writ petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Jamila Momtaz represented the state during the hearing.

Advocate Muzahidul Islam Shahin told The Daily Star that Monira Sharmin cannot contest the election as the High Court did not issue any directive to this effect.

Earlier, on April 30, Monira Sharmin filed the writ petition with the High Court challenging the legality of the EC’s decision to cancel her nomination for the reserved parliamentary seat.

On April 23, the returning officer had rejected her nomination paper, citing provisions of the Representation of the People Order, 1972. The officer said she was not eligible to contest the election as three years had not yet passed since her resignation from government service.

She appealed to the Election Commission against the returning officer’s decision on April 26.

However, after a lengthy hearing the following day, the EC dismissed her appeal.