Earlier, the Election Commission had declared the candidacies of both candidates valid despite allegations of loan default.
Sarwar Alamgir (left) and Aslam Chowdhury (right). Collage: TBS
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Sarwar Alamgir (left) and Aslam Chowdhury (right). Collage: TBS
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has recorded separate petitions filed by BNP-backed candidates Sarwar Alamgir and Lion Aslam Chowdhury, who were unofficially declared winners in the 13th parliamentary elections from Chattogram-2 (Fatikchhari) and Chattogram-4 respectively, seeking publication of their election results and permission to take oath as members of parliament.
At the same time, the apex court fixed 9 June for hearing the related appeals.
The five-member Appellate Division bench led by the chief justice passed the order today (14 May).
Lawyer Shishir Monir, representing the Jamaat candidates, said the Appellate Division recorded the applications and fixed 9 June for hearing the appeals.
Earlier, the Election Commission had declared the candidacies of both candidates valid despite allegations of loan default.
In the case of Aslam Chowdhury, his nomination was declared valid on 18 January, the final day of appeal hearings at the Election Commission. A writ petition filed by a bank challenging the decision was later dismissed by the High Court.
Jamaat-backed candidate Md Anwar Siddiqui subsequently filed a leave-to-appeal petition against the High Court order.
Meanwhile, in the case of Sarwar Alamgir, the High Court had stayed the Election Commission’s decision cancelling his candidacy over loan default allegations and allowed him to contest the election.
Jamaat candidate Nurul Amin later filed a leave-to-appeal petition challenging the High Court order.
On 3 February, the Appellate Division granted leave to appeal in both cases against the High Court orders upholding their candidacies.
As a result, both candidates were allowed to contest the election. However, the court ordered that the election results would remain suspended and could not be officially published until disposal of the appeals.
Both Aslam Chowdhury and Sarwar Alamgir were declared unofficial winners in the 12 February election, but their results were not gazetted due to the court order.
They later filed separate applications seeking publication of the results and permission to take oath.
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