Plea to cancel EC decision barring mayors from contesting JS polls
Friday, 21 November 2008
A legal notice was served on the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Thursday by the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) mayor calling for rescinding the Election Commission's (EC) reported decision on barring city corporation mayors from contesting the parliamentary elections, reports UNB.
On November 17, the EC took the decision that as the city corporation mayors hold office of profit they would not be eligible for contesting the general election unless three years pass after the expiry of their tenure.
Elected on April 25 in 2002, mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka in his legal notice termed the EC decision arbitrary and not in conformity with the existing laws. "The (EC) decision will have the evil effect of denying all the city corporation mayors from exercising their constitutional right to contest the parliamentary elections," the notice said.
Mayor Khoka, who was a Member of Parliament for three terms, claimed that he was not holding the office of profit as his status was that of a cabinet minister, which was notified by a gazette on October 14, 2002.
Khoka in his notice requested the CEC to rescind the reported EC decision within three days. Failing which appropriate legal action would be taken to vindicate his legal rights, the notice said.
On November 17, the EC took the decision that as the city corporation mayors hold office of profit they would not be eligible for contesting the general election unless three years pass after the expiry of their tenure.
Elected on April 25 in 2002, mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka in his legal notice termed the EC decision arbitrary and not in conformity with the existing laws. "The (EC) decision will have the evil effect of denying all the city corporation mayors from exercising their constitutional right to contest the parliamentary elections," the notice said.
Mayor Khoka, who was a Member of Parliament for three terms, claimed that he was not holding the office of profit as his status was that of a cabinet minister, which was notified by a gazette on October 14, 2002.
Khoka in his notice requested the CEC to rescind the reported EC decision within three days. Failing which appropriate legal action would be taken to vindicate his legal rights, the notice said.