Polling Postponed in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2

The Election Commission (EC) has announced the suspension of the election process in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 constituencies for the time being. The decision was taken in compliance with an order of the Appellate Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, said Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud today.

“Based on the directive of the Appellate Division, the elections in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 have been halted, and all electoral activities in the two constituencies will remain suspended until further instructions are issued by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court,” he said. Officials said that since independence, the Pabna-1 constituency had comprised the entire Santhia upazila along with Bera Pourasava and four unions of Bera upazila namely Haturia Nakalia, Natun Varenga, Chakla and Kaitola.

On the other hand, the Pabna-2 constituency included the remaining five unions of Bera upazila together with the entire Sujanagar upazila. Ahead of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election, the Election Commission (EC) published the final gazette on the re-demarcation of parliamentary constituencies on September 4. 

Under the gazette, Santhia upazila was finalised as Pabna-1 constituency, while Sujanagar and Bera upazilas together were designated as Pabna-2 constituency. Challenging the legality of the re-demarcation, Jahirul Islam, a resident of Bera upazila, and Abu Sayeed, a resident of Santhia upazila, filed separate writ petitions with the High Court. After a preliminary hearing, the High Court issued a rule on September 17 and made the rule absolute on December 18 following the final hearing. 

In its verdict, the High Court declared unlawful the portion of the EC gazette that excluded Bera Pourasava and four unions of Bera upazila from Pabna-1 and added them to Pabna-2. The court also ordered restoration of the two parliamentary constituencies to their previous status and directed the publication of a gazette within 24 hours. However, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami nominated candidate for Pabna-1, Mohammad Najibur Rahman, and the Election Commission separately filed petitions seeking a stay of the High Court verdict.

Subsequently, the Chamber Court of Appellate Division Justice Md. Rezaul Haque fixed January 4 for hearing of the petitions before the regular bench of the Appellate Division. Later, on January 5, the Appellate Division stayed the Election Commission gazette issued on December 24, which re-demarcate the boundaries of Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 constituencies. The stay will remain in force until disposal of the leave to appeal filed against the High Court verdict.