The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

A legal notice was served to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) yesterday by the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) mayor calling for rescinding the Election Commission's reported decision on barring City Corporation mayors from contesting the parliamentary elections.

On November 17, the EC took the decision that as the City Corporation mayors hold office of profit they would not be eligible for contesting the general election unless three years pass after the expiry of their tenure.

Elected on April 25 in 2002, mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka in his legal notice termed the EC decision arbitrary and not in conformity with the existing laws. "The (EC) decision will have the evil effect of denying all the City Corporation mayors from exercising their constitutional right to contest the parliamentary elections," the notice said. Mayor Khoka, who was a Member of Parliament for three terms, claimed that he was not holding the office of profit as his status is that of a Cabinet Minister, which was notified by a gazette on October 14, 2002.

Khoka in his notice requested the CEC to rescind the reported EC decision within three days. Failing which appropriate legal action would be taken to vindicate his legal rights, the notice said.

Advocate Khondker Mahbubuddin Ahmed, the counsel for Khoka, sent the legal notice to the CEC by fax at 2:40 pm yesterday.