25 ‘Jamaat leaders’ overcome legal bar to contest polls

The Election Commission (EC) said on Sunday the 25 reported Jamaat-e-Islami leaders can be there in the election race as the Commission has no authority to revoke their candidatures since they are contesting the polls as BNP and independent candidates, reports UNB.

"The High Court directed the Election Commission to dispose of the application filed for cancelling the candidacies of 25 aspirants, but the Commission has no legal jurisdiction to annul their candidacies," said (EC) Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed.

He came up with the announcement at a press briefing at Nirbachan Bhaban.

About BNP's demand for giving it either a scope to field alternative candidates or reschedule the election in the seats where the candidates of the party and alliance partners have been declared disqualified by the court, the EC secretary said they have also no legal authority to take any such step.

He said they will take action as per the court directives in this regard.