HC rule over publishing election candidates’ affidavit

The High Court (HC) today issued a rule asking the Election Commission (EC) to explain in four weeks why it should not be directed to publish and distribute leaflets among the voters, containing all information mentioned by the election candidates in their affidavits.

The bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alamcame up with the rule following a writ petition filed by Law and Life Foundation, arights organisation.

The organisation filed the petition seeking the court's order on the EC to comply with the guidelines provided in chapter VII of the eleventh national parliament election manual.

According to the manual, the EC must distribute leaflets among voters in each constituency, revealing information about the candidates, the petitioner's lawyer Humayun Kabir Pallab earlier said.

If the voters do not know about the candidates, they will not be able to choose the right representative and the election will not be fair, the lawyer said, citing the petition.