Writ petition filed to annul referendum outcome

A writ petition has been filed with High Court challenging the validity of February 12 referendum and seeking annulment of the results declared the following day.

The public interest litigation was submitted on Tuesday by Supreme Court lawyer ABM Ataul Majid Touhid. 

The petition names the Chief Election Commissioner, the Cabinet Secretary and the Law Secretary as respondents.

Court sources said the High Court bench headed by Justice Fatema Najib is expected to take up the matter next week.

The nationwide referendum was held on February 12, with voters casting ballots on a proposed change. 

According to the Election Commission, 60.26 percent of eligible voters participated in the poll.

The results were officially announced on February 13 by Senior Secretary of Election Commission Secretariat Akhtar Ahmed at a press briefing at the Commission’s headquarters in Agargaon.

Official figures show that 48,074,429 voters supported the proposal, while 22,565,627 voted against it.

SH