(News Credit en.prothomalo.com) The Appellate Division has stayed a High Court order that had suspended the inclusion of councillors or representatives from 15 clubs in the final voter list for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) elections.
These 15 clubs were promoted from third division qualifying cricket.
Chamber judge at the Appellate Division, justice Farah Mahbub, passed the order today, Sunday, after hearing a petition filed by one of the clubs, Nakhalpara Cricketers, seeking suspension of the High Court order.
As a result, the councillors or representatives of the 15 clubs will be able to cast their votes in tomorrow’s BCB election, board lawyer Mahin M Rahman said.
Earlier, during the previous Awami League government, the BCB election commission published the final voter list on 26 September, including the names of councillors or representatives from 15 controversial clubs promoted from third division qualifying cricket.
Former BCB president Faruque Ahmed filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the legality of including these 15 clubs’ councillors or representatives in the voter list.
After the preliminary hearing of the writ, on 30 September, the High Court issued a rule and suspended the process of including the councillors or representatives of the 15 clubs in the final voter list.
Nakhalpara Cricketers later filed a petition with the Appellate Division seeking suspension of the High Court order. The petition came up today for hearing in the chamber court of the Appellate Division.
Senior lawyer Md Ruhul Kuddus stood for the Nakhalpara Cricketers Club in the hearing. Lawyer Kaiser Kamal and Md Shafiqul Islam were also present during the hearing.
Senior lawyer Mustafizur Rahman Khan, assisted by lawyer Md Zahirul Islam, appeared for the writ petitioner.
Additional Attorney General Mohammad Arshadur Rouf and Anik R Haque represented the state, while lawyer Mahin M Rahman appeared for the BCB in the hearing.
The 15 clubs are Exum Cricketers, Dhaka Cricket Academy, Purbachal Sporting Club, Nawabganj Cricket Coaching Academy, Old Dhaka Cricketers, Pacific Cricket Academy, Sapphire Sporting Club, Mohammadpur Cricket Club, Gulshan Cricket Club, Vikings Cricket Academy, Nakhalpara Cricketers, Banani Cricket Club, Mohakhali Cricket Academy, Dhanmondi Cricket Club, and Alpha Sporting Club.
According to the ACC’s petition, the process through which these clubs qualified from third division was not transparent.
The ACC recommended a public inquiry into the matter. The BCB election commission did not include the 15 clubs in the draft voter list published on 23 September.
However, the clubs had the opportunity to appeal against the commission’s decision. After accepting and settling those appeals, the election commission included the names of representatives from the 15 clubs in the final voter list published on 26 September.