The High Court on Monday issued a rule asking why the provision in the Representation of the People Order (RPO) that requires candidates in an electoral alliance to use their respective party symbols while contesting elections should not be declared illegal.

The bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Fatema Anwar issued the rule after hearing a writ petition. The Law Secretary, Election Commission (EC), and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) have been asked to respond within 10 days.

Senior lawyer Ahsanul Karim, along with Reshad Imam and Shahedul Azam, appeared for the petitioner. Lawyer Kamal Hossain Miyaji represented the Election Commission, while Deputy Attorney General Akhtar Hossain Md. Abdul Wahab appeared for the state.

The writ, filed on November 27 by Mominul Amin, secretary general of the National Democratic Movement (NDM) led by Bobby Hajjaj, challenges the amended RPO provision that mandates each registered party in an alliance to run under its own symbol. Previously, parties in an alliance could field candidates under the symbol of any partner party.

The government issued the amendment through an ordinance on November 3. The advisory council had granted in-principle approval to the draft ordinance on October 23.

The BNP and several smaller parties have raised objections to the provision, arguing that it complicates alliance arrangements. The party submitted formal objections to the Election Commission and the law ministry.