Dhaka: The High Court on Tuesday set April 11 for rule hearing of the writ petition challenging the legality of the registration given by Election Commission (EC) to Jamaat-e-Islami as a political party.

A larger bench comprising Justice M Moazzam Hossain, Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Dr. Quazi Reza-ul Hoque set the next date granting a prayer for the Election Commission.

The Chief Justice on March 10 constituted the larger bench to hear the petition considering the question of involvement of legal and constitutional issue.

Earlier, a two-judge bench referred the petition to the Chief Justice praying for constitution of a larger bench.

Bangladesh Tarikot Federation leader Syed Rezaul Haque Chandpuri and 24 others jointly filed the writ petition in 2009.

On January 27, 2009, a division bench comprising Justice ABM Khairul Haque and Justice Abdul Hye issued a rule on the authorities concerned asking to show cause why the registration issued for Jamaat-e-Islami should not be declared void and illegal as the registration is inconsistent with the Representation of People Order (RPO).

The EC on November 4, 2008 issued the registration to Jamaat-e-Islami as a political party.

The writ petition claimed that due to four specific grounds, EC could not issue registration to Jamaat-e-Islami as a political party.

These are: (1) Jamaat-e-Islami does not believe that the people are the absolute sources of power and it denied accepting the authority of the people's representatives to frame law. (2) According to Representation Of People Order (RPO), any communal political party could not be granted registration though Jamaat-e-Islami in its activities and belief is a communal party. (3) Any registered political party cannot bring any discrepancy in giving its membership considering religion, cast or creed, but Jamaat- e-Islami does not approve any woman or non-Muslim in its any senior position. (4) According to the provision of representation of people order (RPO) any registered political party could not open any branch abroad, but Jamaat-e-Islami claims that it has several branches abroad.

Ends/AMA/09/04/13