EC seeks stay on HC order against DNCC by-polls

The Election Commission has filed two separate leave-to-appeal petitions with the Supreme Court seeking stay on the High Court order that halted the process for holding by-election to Dhaka North City Corporation mayor election.

The Election Commission said in the petitions that the writ petition on which the High Court has stayed the election process is misconceived and not acceptable, the Election Commission’s lawyer Advocate Towhidul Islam told The Daily Star.

The Supreme Court chamber judge Justice Syed Mahmud Hussain will hold hearing on the leave-to-appeal petitions on next Sunday.

Following two separate writ petitions, the High Court on January 17 stayed for six months the process of Dhaka North City Corporation polls that was scheduled to take place on February 26.

The HC also questioned the legality of the schedule of the DNCC mayoral by-polls and the elections to 18 new wards under the city corporation on February 26.

Besides, it issued two rules asking the authorities concerned of the EC and the government to explain in four weeks why the schedule should not be declared illegal.