EC to appeal against HC stay on GCC polls

The Election Commission (EC) will file an appeal challenging the High Court order staying the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) election for three months.

"The EC will file an appeal challenging the High Court order staying the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) polls for three months...The lawyer of EC has been asked to take necessary steps to this end," EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed today said, speaking at a meeting with journalists at Nirbachon Bhaban in city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

The secretary was addressing the meeting on making a policy over electoral news collection and publication.

Ahmed said the EC declared the schedule for GCC polls after the completion of all necessary preparations. The commission communicated with the local government ministry before declaring schedules for the two city polls -- GCC and Khulna City Corporation.

"They said that there was no complexity over the demarcation of the two city corporations," the secretary said, adding, the schedules were declared after getting clearance from the ministry.

"We have already appointed a lawyer and he will see the matter and we hope that the election will be held soon," Ahmed said.

The High Court (HC) on Sunday stayed for three months the polls to Gazipur City Corporation, issuing a rule on the authorities concerned to explain as to why inclusion of six mouzas (areas) of Savar in GCC shall not be declared illegal.

Shimulia Union Parishad Chairman Azharul Islam Suruj filed the writ as a gazette notification was issued on March 4, including six mouzas - Dakkhin Borobari, Domna, Shibrampur, Pashchim Panishail, Panishail and Domnag - of his union in Gazipur City Corporation.

The Gazipur city election was scheduled to be held on May 15 where more than 11 lakh voters were supposed to cast their ballots.