The Appellate  Division of the Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday rejected the writ petition filed by former Posts, Telecommunications and ICT Minister Abdul Latif Siddique against the High Court (HC) order dismissing his writ challenging the jurisdiction of Election Commission (EC) to carry out hearing on legitimacy of his parliament membership.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, passed the order after a hearing on the writ in the morning.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said following this order Latif Siddiqi will have to attend the hearing of the EC at about 11:00 am on Sunday (August 23).

Earlier on August 20, hours after the HC dismissed his writ petition filed challenging the jurisdiction of the EC to hold hearing on the legitimacy of his parliament membership, sacked minister Latif moved the SC against the order.

During the court proceedings on the same day, the SC had fixed today (Sunday) for passing an order on the writ.

An HC bench comprising Justice M Emdadul Haque and Justice Mohammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar dismissed the writ petition filed by the expelled Awami League leader challenging the authority of the EC to hold hearing on the legitimacy of his parliament membership and seeking a stay order on the effectiveness of its notice asking him to attend the hearing on August 23.

Latif filed the petition with the HC on August 16 challenging the EC's August 9 notice which fixed August 23 for hearing the dispute.

Siddique was sacked as the posts and telecommunications minister on October 12 last year for his "derogatory" comments on hajj, Tablighi Jamaat, and prime minister's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy at a New York programme on September 28.

On October 24, the ruling Awami League cancelled his party membership.

Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam on July 7 informed Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury of the ruling party’s decision.

On July 13, the Speaker wrote the Chief Election Commissioner for taking necessary steps in this regard.

On July 16, the EC sent notices to both Latif and Awami League to send their explanations over his membership by August 2. Both sides submitted their replies through representatives.

The EC on August 9 sent notices to the ruling party and Latif to attend hearing on August 23 to determine Latif’s parliamentary membership.

Later, Latif moved the High Court against the authority of the EC to hold hearing in this regard.

UNB/TF