Jamaat’s registration restored by SC

The Supreme Court’s Appellate Division on Sunday ordered the Election Commission to restore Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s registrationas political party, which was cancelled by the High Court in 2013.

The court also directed the EC to dispose of the pending issues of Jamaat.

A four-member Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, delivered the verdict following an appeal filed by Jamaat challenging the HC verdict.

The legal battle stems from a writ petition filed in 2009 by 25 individuals including Bangladesh Tariqat Federation Secretary General Syed Rezaul Haque Chandpuri, Zaker Party Secretary General Munshi Abdul Latif, and Sammilit Islami Jote President Maulana Ziaul Hasan. The petition challenged the legitimacy of Jamaat’s registration with the Election Commission under the Representation of the People Order citing violations of Articles 90B and 90C.

A rule was issued by the High Court on January 27, 2009, questioning the legal foundation of the party’s registration granted in 2008 ahead of the ninth national election when political parties were first brought under a registration framework by the EC.

Although Jamaat attempted to salvage its legal status through constitutional amendments, the High Court delivered a landmark verdict on August 1, 2013, invalidating the party’s registration on grounds that its charter was inconsistent with the Constitution of Bangladesh.

That ruling effectively barred Jamaat from contesting the 10th and 11th parliamentary elections. A subsequent attempt to secure a stay order through the Chamber Court was dismissed on August 5, 2019. Jamaat then filed a leave to appeal following the full publication of the verdict on November 2, 2019, which was treated as a formal appeal.