The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

A writ petition challenging the validity of delimitation of parliamentary constituencies carried out by the Election Commission (EC) has been filed with High Court Division yesterday.

Former BNP minister and lawmaker Abdul Mannan filed the writ petition before a High Court Division bench comprising Justice Mahmud Hossain and Farid Ahmed.

In his petition, Abdul Mannan of Dhaka-2 constituency appealed for suspending the EC's gazette notification issued on April 29 last redrawing 133 parliamentary constituencies.

Advocate Khandaker Mahbub Uddin Ahmed took part in the preliminary hearing on behalf of the petitioner. The High Court division bench adjourned the hearing till 2:00pm today since Deputy Attorney General Rajik Al Jalil sought one day time for hearing.

Abdul Mannan argued that carrying out delimitation of constituencies after completion of 80 per cent of voter list is contrary to the Article 122 of the Constitution.

In his writ petition he sought a rule asking the Election Commission to explain why the gazette should not be declared to have been made without lawful authority and is of no legal effect.

"The delimitation was done only to frustrate holding the general election immediately," the petitioner argued.

Earlier, the EC unveiled a draft list of parliamentary seats with their boundaries redrawn district-wise. Of the 300 constituencies, 133 have seen changes in boundaries and the rest remained unchanged.