Writ challenging oath-taking of lawmakers rejected

The High Court (HC) has rejected a writ petition filed challenging the legality of lawmakers’ oath taking.

The HC bench of Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md. Ashraful Kamal passed the rejection order as the petition was not placed before it properly. 

Advocate Md Taherul Islam Tawhid filed the petition on January 14, praying to the HC to issue a rule asking the Election Commission and the government to explain why the oath- taking should not be declared illegal.

During the hearing on January 16, Taherul’s lawyer Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon argued that the oath-taking violated articles 123(3) and 148(3) of the constitution of Bangladesh.

According to article 123(3)(a), parliamentary election shall be held within 90 days of dissolving the incumbent parliament.

“As the 11th national election was held without dissolving the 10th parliament, the polls have breached the constitution,” Barrister Khokon said.

The 11th parliamentary elections was held on December 30 last year while Awami League got landslide victory with 257 seats.