The Supreme Court set October 21 as the date to hear a petition filed by the Jamaat-e-Islami seeking restoration of an appeal challenging a High Court verdict that scrapped its registration with the Election Commission as a political party.

Chamber Judge Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam on Sunday fixed the date for the hearing. 

A full bench of the Appellate Division will hear the petition on October 21, according to the apex court chamber judge's order.

Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir represented the Jamaat in the court.

Earlier in the day, Jamaat-e-Islami filed a petition with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court to revive the dismissed appeal seeking restoration of its cancelled registration as a political party. The matter was confirmed to the media by Jamaat's lawyer Shishir Monir, who stated, "A petition has been filed with the Chamber Court of the Appellate Division to restore the appeal that was dismissed for default."

On 1 August 2013, the High Court ruled to cancel and declare illegal Jamaat-e-Islami's registration in response to a writ petition. Subsequently, on7 December 2018, the Election Commission issued a gazette notification cancelling Jamaat's registration. Jamaat-e-Islami later appealed the High Court's ruling.

However, because Jamaat's lead lawyer was absent during the appeal hearing, the then Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan and a six-judge Appellate Division dismissed the appeal for default last November, thereby upholding the High Court's ruling that declared Jamaat-e-Islami's registration as a political party invalid.

Meanwhile, during the ongoing Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, the government led by Sheikh Hasina banned Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir on 1 August. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification banning Jamaat, Chhatra Shibir, and other affiliated organisations under Section 18(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act. However, on 28 August, the decision to ban Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir was revoked, and a new gazette notification was issued.

BDST: 1831 HRS, SEP 2, 2024
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