EC Registration: SC verdict on Jamaat’s appeal today

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court is scheduled to deliver its verdict today on Jamaat-e-Islami's appeal against a High Court verdict that scrapped its registration with the Election Commission (EC) as a political party.

According to the Supreme Court website, the appeal has been listed as item No-1 in today's cause list of a four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, for pronouncement of the judgement.

On May 14, the apex court bench fixed the date after concluding hearing on the appeal.

On August 1, 2013, the High Court cancelled Jamaat's registration with the EC following a writ petition. Maulana Syed Rezaul Haque Chandpuri, secretary general of the Bangladesh Tariqat Federation, along with 24 others, filed the petition on January 25, 2009, seeking a court order declaring the party's registration illegal.

The EC subsequently scrapped Jamaat's registration in October 2018, ahead of the 11th national election.

Jamaat later filed an appeal with the Appellate Division, challenging the HC verdict.

The Appellate Division began hearing on the appeal on December 3 last year.  Barrister Ehsan A Siddiq and Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir appeared for Jamaat, while Advocate Towhidul Islam represented the EC during the hearing.