Latif’s JS membership: HC clears bar for EC hearing

Latif Siddique has to appear before the Election Commission on August 23 for hearing the dispute on cancellation over Latif’s parliamentary membership. Star file photo

The High Court today upheld the Election Commission’s decision to hear the dispute on cancelling Abdul Latif Siddique’s parliament membership.

The High Court bench of Justice Md Emdadul Huq and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar rejected a writ filed by Latif Siddique challenging the legality of EC’s decision.

Latif’s lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua told The Daily Star that his client has to appear during the commission’s hearing scheduled for August 23 following the High Court order.

He however said, they are thinking about filing an appeal to the Supreme Court against the High Court’s order.

On July 13, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury sent a letter to the Election Commission to decide the parliamentary membership of Latif Siddique as she received a letter from Awami League about his termination from the party on July 5.

The EC on August 9, fixed August 23 for hearing the dispute over the cancellation of Latif’s parliamentary membership.

The EC in its notice requested Latif Siddique and Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam to be present during the hearing at its Agargaon office.

Latif filed the writ petition with the High Court on August 16 challenging the legality of EC’s notice.

Ruling Awami League terminated the JS membership of Latif from the party on October 24 last year over his demeaning comment on hajj, Tablighi Jamaat and prime minister’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy at a New York programme on September 28 last year.

Following the remarks, Latif was sacked from the cabinet and from his position as the post and telecommunication minister on October 12. Later his presidium and primary membership in Awami League was also cancelled.

On June 29 this year, Latif was freed from jail after he got bail in the cases filed against him for hurting religious sentiments.

On November 25 last year, a Dhaka court sent the sacked minister to prison after he surrendered before the police in a case filed over his derogatory remarks.