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Online Desk/

The Election Commission (EC) canceled the order to reinstate those 85 upazila election officers who were appointed in 2005 during the BNP government and canceled after the examination during the caretaker government in 2007.

On Monday (September 26), the Election Commission has issued a notification signed by Assistant Secretary Mohammad Shahidur Rahman. Before that, the High Court canceled the order of reinstatement of those officials.

It is stated in the notification – In view of the judgment of Civil Appeal No. 212011, 222011, 232011 and 242011 dated 01-09-2022 of the Appellate Division, 85 upazila election officials dismissed from the Election Commission Secretariat have been appointed through the notification No. 3(25)2010181 dated 13 May 2010 of the Election Commission Secretariat. The order of reinstatement is hereby set aside by direction. This order issued in public interest will be effective immediately.

EC officials said that 320 upazila election officers were appointed during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government in 2005. Although this appointment was criticized for party considerations, the then MA Aziz Commission did not take any action.

In February 2007, a report from the Ministry of Home Affairs recommended that the EC take action to ensure that the national elections were not called into question, noting that the officials were appointed on party lines. Based on that, the commission headed by the army-backed ATM Shamsul Huda conducted the qualification assessment test of 320 officers during their apprenticeship. The appointment of 85 officers who did not pass it was cancelled. Later, when they went to court, the Administrative Appellate Tribunal asked the Election Commission to appoint them on April 12, 2010.

According to that order, the Election Commission issued a notification on May 13, 2010 reinstating 85 officials.

The state filed four leave-to-appeals against the judgment of the Administrative Appellate Tribunal. Subsequently, the Appellate Division Chamber Judge on 29 April 2010 stayed the operation of the judgment of the Appellate Tribunal and referred the matter to the regular bench of the Appellate Division for hearing. Then in 2011, the state filed a separate appeal. After the hearing, the Supreme Court canceled the order of the Administrative Appellate Tribunal on September 1, 2010.