The High Court today questioned the legality of the Election Commission’s decision to allow Ferdous Ahmed Qureishi and Principal MA Hossain to run the Progressive Democratic Party as its chairman and secretary general respectively.

The court issued a rule asking the EC and Qureishi and MA Hossain to explain in four weeks why the Commission’s decision should not be declared illegal.

In the rule, the court also asked the EC to show causes why it should not be directed to accept the committee of PDP led by Mohammad Delwar Hossain and Md Ehsanul Huq Selim as its chairman and secretary general respectively.

The chief election commissioner, law secretary, Ferdous Ahmed Qureishi, PDP Co-chairman Nilufar Panna Qureishi and MA Hossain have been made respondents to the rule.

The High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Mohammad Jahangir Hossain came up with the rule following a writ petition filed by Md Ehsanul Huq Selim challenging the Election Commission’s decision.

Petitioner’s lawyer, Advocate Eunus Ali Akond, told The Daily Star that Ferdous Ahmed is reportedly ill as he has been suffering from paralysis and therefore he is disqualified to hold the office of the chairman of PDP as per its constitution.

The executive committee of PDP was formed long ago and was led by Ferdous Ahmed Qureishi and MA Hossain without holding any council.

On the other hand, the executive committee with Mohammed Delwar Hossain and Mohammed Ehsanul Huq Selim as its chairman and secretary general was formed though holding a council of the party, according to the petitioner’s lawyer.

Advocate Eunus Ali said the Election Commission on June 22 this year allowed the committee led by Qureishi and MA Hossain in violation of the constitution.