A petition was moved before the High Court today seeking its directive on the Election Commission and the government not to publish any schedule for holding next parliamentary election until disposal of a pending rule.

The High Court on May 12, 2014, issued a rule asking the Election Commission and the government to explain why the provision for one per cent voters’ signatures for an independent candidate should not be declared illegal.

Today, Advocate Md Eunus Ali Akond moved the petition before the HC bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Ahmed Sohel for an order of injunction on publication of schedule for next parliamentary election.

The bench asked Eunus Ali Akond to move the petition before a HC bench after reopening of the court following ongoing annual vacation.

The court will reopen on October 1.

Advocate Eunus Ali submitted the petition on Sunday saying that the eleventh parliamentary election will be held as a voter less election if an injunction order is not passed.

On May 12, 2014, the HC questioned the legality of the RPO provision which states that an independent candidate must secure signatures of one percent of the voters of a constituency to contest in an election.

The HC also asked the authorities concerned to explain why the schedule of the Barishal-5 constituency by-polls should not be declared illegal.

The HC came up with the rule after Eunus Ali Akond, a Supreme Court lawyer and an aspirant candidate for the by-polls, filed a writ petition as he could not secure the required signatures to contest in the by-polls of Barishal-5 constituency. 

In the petition, Eunus said a citizen of the country who is over the age of 25 can be elected as per the constitution.

But the RPO provision for independent candidates is arbitrary and contrary to the constitution, Eunus said.