The Election Commission (EC) yesterday filed an appeal in the Supreme Court (SC) against the High Court (HC) observation over preparing 'controversial' fresh voter list for the upcoming general elections.

The hearing of the appeal will be held today.

The move came a day after the

FROM PAGE 1

EC extended the time limit for the voter-listing job until February 20 amid opposition of the two election commissioners, who have all along opposed preparing a fresh voter list.

“An appeal petition has been filed on behalf of the Election Commission in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today against the High Court observations over making voter list,” counsel for the EC advocate Khondoker Mahbubuddin Ahmed told the press yesterday.

On January 4, the High Court in a verdict on two much-talked-about writ petitions observed that the EC should prepare the voter-list for next general elections basing on the existing electoral roll of 2000.

The EC should make the voter-list incorporating the names of people aged 18 years or above and excluding those who are dead and insane, the HC observed.

The court observed that the members of the EC, including the chief election commissioner (CEC), would have to unanimously take any decision through discussions, not by exchanging notes or letters to each other.

The court also said the EC will not be influenced by any political party or take any decision on the demands of any particular political party or parties.

The HC observation followed two petitions filed by Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil MP and AL lawmakers Rahmat Ali and Asaduzzaman Noor challenging the validity of CEC Justice MA Aziz's 'unilateral' decision to prepare a fresh electoral roll that began on January 1.

With support from the two newly appointed election commissioners, the CEC on Tuesday had the majority in his favour to take the decision to extend the time for voter-listing until February 20.

The commission will decide what to do after February 20 only on knowing the outcome of its appeal filed with the SC yesterday, sources said.