The Awami League yesterday (Saturday) Issued a legal notice challenging validity of door-crossing of NAP leader Prof Abdul Hafiz MP who formally Joined the ruling BNP, reports UNB.

The party's law secretary and legal adviser Barrister K S Nabi yesterday (Saturday) Issued the notice on behalf of Awami League leader and op poaltion Chief Whip Md Nasim

Barrister Nabi told UNB over telephone that separate notices addressing the Chief

Election Commissioner and Secretary of the Parliament Secretariat had been sent pointing out the NAP leader s Joining the ruling party was contrary to the constitution.

Copies of the notices were also sent to the Speaker of Parliament and Prof Abdul Hafiz MP. Barrister Nabi said

He said that It was pointed out 1n the notice that NAP leader Prof Abdul Hafiz had taken part In the February 1991 elections with a ticket from the Awami League-led 15 • • — -

Party Alliance and two years after the polls he joined BNP formally on March 31.

The Awami League counsel said that as per Article 70 of the Constitution, the parliamentary seat of Hafiz fell vacant as soon as he switched over to another party. Under the constitutional provision, there should be by election in the Nilphamarl-4 seat.

The notice concludes as follows "That in the premises aforesaid we have instruction to call upon you. as we hereby do. to treat the parliamentary seal held by Prof Abdul Hafiz as vacant with effect from 1st of April 1993 and Intimate compliance thereof within three days from the issuance of the notice, falling which * our client reserve the right to move the honourable Supreme Court by way of writ petition, the cost of which you shall re main responsible.'

Barrister K S Nabi said that Awami league had not given any candidate at the con stiluenry as Prof Abdul Hafiz used l heir ticket and won the election with the support of Awami league.