No legal bar to holding presidential election on August 20: Attorney General

The presidential election scheduled for August 20 will be held without any hindrance, and there is no legal bar to it, said Attorney General Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal.

He made the remark while responding to reporters' questions at the Attorney General's Office on Wednesday, August 19.

Earlier on August 18, the High Court summarily dismissed a writ petition challenging the validity of Article 70 of the Constitution and seeking a stay on the presidential election schedule. The High Court bench comprising Justice Khizir Ahmed Choudhury and Justice A F M Saiful Karim delivered the order.

The writ petitioner, lawyer Yunus Ali Akond, argued in favour of the petition, while the state was represented by Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Deputy Attorneys General Mamun Chowdhury and Akhtar Hossain Md Abdul Wahab.

Earlier, on August 13, lawyer Md Yunus Ali Akond had filed the writ petition.

Article 70 of the Constitution states that if a person elected as a Member of Parliament as a candidate of a political party resigns from that party or votes against that party in Parliament, his seat shall become vacant. However, that person shall not be disqualified from being elected as a Member of Parliament in any subsequent election for that reason.

The petitioner later said that due to Article 70, MPs cannot vote freely, which undermines their democratic rights.