Cancellation of registration: SC dismisses Jamaat's appeal

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today dismissed an appeal filed by Jamaat-e-Islami challenging a High Court verdict that scrapped its registration with the Election Commission as a political party.

A five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan passed the dismissal order for "default" as the Jamaat's principal lawyer AJ Mohammad Ali and its Advocate-On-Record Zainul Abedin did not appear before the court.

Advocate Mohammad Ziaur Rahman, who represented AJ Mohammad Ali and Joynul Abedin, told The Daily Star that the HC verdict that cancelled Jamaat-e-Islami's registration with the EC will remain in force.

Appellant Jamaat-e-Islami and its lawyers will decide the next course of action, he said, adding that Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali had sought six weeks' time from the SC for hearing the appeal due to his personal problems, but the Appellate Division rejected the time petition.

He said the apex court refused to entertain two petitions including a contempt of court petition against Jamaat, as it has already dismissed the appeal of Jamaat from which the two petitions were raised.

The other petition was filed seeking the apex court's injunction order restraining Jamaat from carrying out any political activities, including meetings, public rallies and processions using its name or banner.

Jamaat had filed the appeal against a High Court verdict that on August 1, 2013, scrapped its registration with the Election Commission.

Maulana Syed Rezaul Haque Chandpuri, secretary general of Bangladesh Tariqat Federation, and two others submitted the petition on June 26 this year requesting the SC to issue an injunction on Jamaat barring it from asserting itself as a legitimate political party until disposal of Jamaat's appeal.

The same day, Chandpuri and two others filed the contempt of court petition with the SC against five Jamaat leaders, including its Ameer Shafiqur Rahman, for holding public meetings as a political party despite its appeal awaiting at the apex court for disposal.

In this petition, they also brought contempt of court charges against some senior government officials for allowing Jamaat to hold the programmes in Dhaka.

Senior lawyers Tanya Amir and Ahsanul Karim appeared for Chandpuri during the proceedings.