GCC polls: HC rejects Jahangir’s writ filed to get back candidacy

The High Court (HC) has rejected a writ petition filed by suspended Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) mayor Jahangir Alam challenging the legality of the Election Commission’s decision that cancelled his nomination papers for the mayoral post in the upcoming GCC election.

The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Muhammad Mahbub-ul Islam passed the order in presence of Jahangir on Monday.

Senior lawyer Fida M Kamal appeared on behalf of the former mayor in the court while attorney general Abu Mohammad Amin Uddin represented the state.

Earlier on Sunday, the writ petition was filed with the concerned department of the HC.

On April 30, Gazipur Returning Officer Faridul Islam scrutinized and rejected Jahangir’s nomination papers over allegations of loan default. Later, Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Md Sabirul Islam rejected his appeal against the decision on Thursday.

However, Jahangir’s mother Zayeda Khatun’s nomination was declared valid, she remains in the electoral race for the mayoral post.

Jahangir was elected mayor of GCC as the candidate of the Awami League (AL) in 2018.

On 19 November, 2021, the AL expelled its Gazipur city unit general secretary and GCC mayor Jahangir from his position in the party for his derogatory remarks on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

On 25 November, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development & Co-operatives suspended Jahangir from his mayoral post of GCC.

In January this year, Jahangir apologised to the AL president in writing. He was pardoned by the ruling party on January 21 on the condition that any further violation of organisation's rules by him would be deemed unforgivable.