Writ challenging legality of Article 70 rejected

Staff Correspondent: The High Court (HC) has rejected a writ petition filed with the court challenging the legality of Article 70 of the constitution regarding cancellation of membership of a lawmaker for voting against his or her political party.

The single bench of Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman passed the order on Sunday.

Advocate Yunus Ali Akond stood for the writ in the court.

Earlier on March 11, the HC set today (March 18) for its verdict on the legality of Article 70 of the constitution regarding cancellation of membership of a lawmaker for voting against his or her political party.

That day, advocate ZI Khan Panna moved for the writ petition while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam represented the state in the court.

Earlier, An HC bench delivered a split order on the writ petition. Later, it was sent to the single bench to settle the issue.

In the split order, Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury, senior judge of the HC bench, issued a rule asking the government why Article 70 should not be declared unconstitutional.

On the other hand, Justice Md Ashraful Kamal, junior judge of the bench, summarily rejected the petition.

According to the Article 70, a lawmaker has to vacate his or her seat if he or she votes in the parliament against the party that nominated him or her.


risingbd/Dhaka/March 18, 2018/Mehedi/AI