HC rejects petition challenging Latif\\\'s JS membership

The High Court (HC) on Monday rejected a petition challenging the legality of axed telecoms minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui's membership in the Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament). The bench of justices Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman passed order after hearing the matter in the afternoon. In its ruling the court observed that the issue should be dealt by the Election Commission (EC). Citing the 1972 Representation of the People Order (RPO), the petition, filed by lawyer Younus Ali Akhand, argued one needs to be a member of a registered political party or as an independent candidate to be a member of the Parliament and Siddiqui does not meet any of the criteria. It claimed that though Siddiqui was elected a lawmaker with Awami League nomination, but the party has expelled him. Hence he no longer can remain as MP. The 77-year old politician’s remarks on Hajj at a programme in New York on September 28 kicked off a flurry of protests. Protesters demanded he be sacked from the Cabinet and prosecuted. A number of cases accused him of hurting religious sentiments were filed against him and warrants of arrests issued. The 5-time MP from Tangail-4 subsequently lost his Cabinet berth and was expelled from the party while he was in the US. He went to India from the US before returning home on Nov 23. A day later, he surrendered in Dhaka's Dhanmondi Police Station. He finally landed in prison after a Dhaka court ordered him into jail, according to a news agency.