Candidacies of the independent and Awami League candidates from Gazipur-4 and Jashore-4 constituencies respectively are valid after Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today rejecting petitions in this connection.

The concerned candidates are Alam Ahmad, running independently in Gazipur-4, and AL candidate Enamul Haque Babul of Jashore-4.

A six-member full and regular bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan passed the orders after hearing writ petitions on the issues.

In Gazipur, deputy commissioner and returning officer Abul Fate Mohammad Shafiqul Islam scrapped the nomination paper of Alam, advisor to central committee of the AL’s associate body Krishak League and also nephew of Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad, citing him as a loan defaulter during evaluation.

Later, he submitted an appeal to the Election Commission (EC) but his nomination was declared invalid on December 13.

Alam Ahmad, a well-known industrialist, moved to the High Court (HC) with a writ petition while it rejected his appeal on December 18.

He again submitted another petition to the Appellate Division challenging the HC order while the Chamber Court of the Appellate Division ordered the authorities concerned to give him a chance to join the election scheduled for January 7.

Awami League-backed candidate and current MP Simeen Hussain Rimi, daughter of the late Tajuddin Ahmad, filed a petition to the Chamber Court seeking withdrawal of the order.

Finally today, the Appellate Division upheld the Chamber Court’s order by rejecting Simeen’s petition.

On the other hand, the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan also declared the candidacy of Awami League-nominated candidate Enamul Haque Babul valid by rejecting two separate writ petitions filed by two independent candidates from Jashore-4 seat.

Independent candidates Sukriti Kumar Mandal and Ranajit Kumar Roy submitted the petitions to the EC bringing allegations of loan default and seeking cancellation of Enamul’s candidacy.

On December 13, the EC cancelled his candidacy after hearing the appeals in this regard.

Enraged by this, the Awami League candidate filed a petition to the HC which directly rejected it on December 18.

After a hearing, the Appellate Division noted that his candidacy was valid on the following day.

The EC submitted an appeal seeking withdrawal of the Appellate Division’s order.

Finally today, a hearing was held on the petition in the court, and Enamul can now run for election.