Dhaka: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today upheld a High Court judgment that had declared the decision of the Election Commission (EC) to reduce Bagerhat's four constituencies to three as illegal, and directed the authorities concerned to restore the previous four constituencies. The five-judge panel of the apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed passed the order, dismissing four separate leave to appeal petitions filed against the High Court judgment.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the order from the Appellate Division stated, "Dismissed and the order of status quo is hereby vacated." This ruling results in the restoration of four Bagerhat constituencies, while one constituency in Gazipur has been reduced, as mentioned by the concerned lawyers.
Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman, with the assistance of EC counsel Kamal Hossain Miaji, argued in favor of the commission. Senior advocates M Badruddoza Badal and Mustafizur Rahman Khan represented Sarkar Jabed Ahmed and Salah Uddin Sarkar respectively during the hearing, while senior advocate Sheikh Mohammad Zakir Hossain stood for the writ petitioners. Additionally, senior advocate Muhammad Belayet Hossain presented the case for Hafizur Rahman.
The controversy began when the EC issued a gazette notification on September 4, reducing Bagerhat's four constituencies to three. This prompted two separate petitions challenging the notification to be filed with the High Court. During a hearing on September 16, the High Court issued a rule asking the authorities to explain why the EC gazette should not be declared illegal and why an order should not be passed to reinstate the previous four constituencies.
After the final hearing on the rule, the High Court delivered its judgment. Subsequently, the EC, along with Gazipur-6 nomination seekers Md Salah Uddin Sarkar, Sarkar Jabed Ahmed, and Hafizur Rahman, filed four separate leave to appeal petitions against the High Court's decision.