A writ petition has been filed with the High Court challenging the new provision that requires parties in an electoral alliance to contest the national polls using their own symbols.
The petition seeks to invalidate the amended Representation of the People Order (RPO), which mandates that even allied, registered parties must retain their respective symbols on the ballot.
Mominul Islam, secretary general of the Bobby Hajjaj-led Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM), filed the petition on Thursday.
NDM Organizing Secretary Barrister Shahedul Azam said the writ is likely to be heard next week by a High Court bench headed by Justice Fatema Najeeb, with senior lawyer Ahsanul Karim representing the petitioner. The chief election commissioner and other relevant officials have been made respondents.
On November 3, the government issued the RPO Amendment Ordinance, inserting the provision on party symbols for alliance members. Previously, parties within an alliance could contest using the symbol of any partner. The draft amendment had received in-principle approval at the Advisory Council meeting on October 23.
The BNP had earlier objected to the change, communicating its concerns in writing to both the Election Commission and the Law Ministry. The provision also caused unease among smaller parties considering joining alliances. Jamaat-e-Islami later claimed the government had signalled willingness to drop the clause, but the ordinance was ultimately issued with the provision intact.
