DHAKA: The High Court Thursday stayed for a month the reinstatement of 85 upazila election officers who were given their marching orders by the army-backed interim regime in 2007 amid troubles over electoral issues.

An HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Justice Delwar issued the order of stay following a writ petition filed by Matiar Rahman from Barisal.

The Establishment Secretary, the Law Secretary and the Election Commission Secretary have been made respondents in the rule issued by the HC bench.

In the rule, the court asked them to explain within two weeks why the direction of reinstating the officers in their job “should not be declared illegal”.
 
The then BNP-Jamaat government appointed a total of 327 election officers on 13 September 2005. Later, the caretaker government cancelled the appointment of 85 on 13 September in 2007.

The Administrative Appeal Tribunal directed the government to restore them in their respective post on 12 April.

Petitioner's lawyer was Tafadduk Hossain while Deputy Attorney-General Purobi Saha was on state side.

BDST 0310 hrs May 20, 2010
JA/RS/MMA/MUA