SC dismisses plea for declaring post of president vacant

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a leave to appeal petition filed by a lawyer, pleading to declare the post of president vacant and to hold a fresh election.

“Dismissed with cost of Taka one lakh,” said the order passed by the Appellate Division full bench headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique. The apex court imposed the cost of Taka one lakh to the petitioner Advocate MA Aziz Khan for wasting court’s time.

The apex court ordered the petitioner to deposit the money with state exchequer.

The Election Commission on February 13 issued a gazette notification announcing valiant Freedom Fighter Mohammed Shahabuddin as the President-elect. Two separate pleas were filed with the High Court, challenging the legality of the EC gazette. The High Court after holding hearing on the petitions, outright scrapped the pleas on March 15.

Mohammed Shahabuddin was sworn in as the 22nd President of Bangladesh on April 24 and the full text of High Court’s order too was released on that day.

Supreme Court lawyer Adv MA Aziz Khan after that filed the leave to appeal petition, pleading to stay the High Court order and the effectiveness of the EC gazette. The petitioner also pleaded to keep the post of president vacant for holding fresh election for the post.