HC verdict on Article 70 March 18

The High Court (HC) will deliver its verdict on March 18 on a writ petition challenging the legality of Article 70 of the Constitution that allows cancellation of parliament membership for crossing the floor, reports UNB.

The single HC bench of Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman set the date on Sunday on completion of hearing on the petition.

Earlier on January 15, the HC delivered split verdicts over the matter.

After hearing the writ, senior Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury issued a rule seeking explanation as to why the Article 70 should not be declared illegal and unconstitutional while junior Justice Md Ashraful Kamal dismissed the petition.

Later, the single bench of Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman was assigned to dispose of the writ.

Advocate Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Advocate Eunus Ali Akanda filed the writ petition on April 12, 2017.

According to the Article 70, a person elected as a Member of Parliament in which one was nominated as a candidate by a political party shall vacate his seat if he/she resigns from that party, or votes in Parliament against that party, but shall not thereby be disqualified for subsequent election as a Member of Parliament.