Writ Petition Filed in High Court Seeking Postponement of National Election

On Wednesday, January 14, Supreme Court lawyer Md. Mahamudul Hasan filed the petition in the public interest. The writ names several top administrative and law enforcement officials as respondents.

The respondents include the Cabinet Secretary, the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Secretary of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, the Election Commission Secretary, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the Director General of RAB.

The petition states that, according to various media reports, approximately 5,750 firearms and 651,609 rounds of ammunition were looted from various police stations and law enforcement offices during the 2024 uprising. Although the government announced rewards for the recovery of these weapons, a significant portion remains unrecovered, which is a matter of grave concern.

The writ further contends that because these illegal weapons are in the hands of terrorists, the lives of voters and candidates are at serious risk. It highlights the recent incident where Sharif Osman Hadi, a candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, was shot dead, as a factor that reinforces these fears.

Lawyer Mahamudul Hasan argued that while some candidates have been provided with gunmen, there is no effective measure to ensure the safety of general voters. He claimed that holding an election under such circumstances would be a violation of the "Right to Life" as guaranteed under Article 32 of the Constitution.

Consequently, the petition seeks a directive to stay the national election until all looted arms and ammunition are fully recovered and a safe electoral environment is guaranteed.