Cancellation of registration: SC’s hearing on Jamaat appeal deferred to Nov 19

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today deferred till November 19 the date of hearing on an appeal filed by Jamaat-e-Islami challenging a High Court verdict that scrapped its registration with the Election Commission.

The Appellate Division will also hold hearings on two separate petitions that day, including a contempt of court petition against Jamaat.

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.

A five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan was scheduled to hold hearing on the appeal and petitions today.

The apex court deferred the hearing following a petition submitted on behalf of AJ Mohammad Ali, principal counsel for Jamaat, seeking eight weeks' adjournment of the hearing because of his personal difficulties.

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.