No bar for Shahabuddin to take oath as president: SC

There is no legal bar for Md Shahabuddin to take oath as president, said the chamber judge of Supreme Court on Tuesday (March 21, 2023) upholding a High Court order that rejected a writ petition challenging the legality of the process of electing Md Shahabuddin as president of the country.

Following the apex court's chamber judge's order, there is no legal bar for Md Shahabuddin to take oath as president.

Additional Attorney General SK Md Morshed briefed reporters in this regard at the attorney general's office on Tuesday (March 21).

Earlier, Chamber judge of the Appellate Division Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim rejected a writ petition filed by MA Aziz Khan, challenging the HC order.

On March 15, the High Court rejected two separate writs filed challenging the legality of the process for electing Shahabuddin as president. The writs were filed on March 7 and March 12.

Md Shahabuddin, a retired judge and former commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission, was declared president-elect of Bangladesh on February 13.

Incumbent President Abdul Hamid's tenure will expire on April 24 and he cannot become president again as he was elected for two terms.

According to Article 123 of the constitution, the presidential election must be held 60 to 90 days before the expiry of each five-year term.

TF