Monira seeks halt to gazette publication of NCP's Nusrat as MP

Monira Sharmin, a leader of the National Citizen Party, has requested the Election Commission not to publish the gazette declaring her party colleague Nusrat Tabassum as a member of parliament for the reserved women's seat in the Jatiya Sangsad.

She made the appeal in a letter submitted to the Returning Officer on Sunday, May 3.

In her letter, Monira Sharmin said the gazette should not be issued declaring Nusrat Tabassum elected until the hearing of her writ petition is concluded. According to her, publishing the gazette before a final decision on the matter would cause her irreparable harm.

She also stated that after receiving party nomination for the reserved women's seat, her nomination was initially cancelled and her appeal was subsequently dismissed. She later filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the decisions. The hearing on that writ is scheduled for Monday, May 4 . She mentioned in the letter that the Election Commission should wait for the court's decision before taking any further action.

Monira's nomination was cancelled by the returning officer on April 23 on the grounds that she had not completed the mandatory three-year gap after resigning from government service . Her appeal against the decision was rejected by the Election Commission on April 27.

Nusrat Tabassum's nomination, initially cancelled for being submitted 19 minutes after the deadline on April 22, was later declared valid following a High Court order directing the EC to accept and scrutinise her papers.

The EC had already published the final gazette on April 30 declaring 49 candidates elected unopposed to the reserved women's seats, with one seat remaining unresolved due to the legal dispute.