Staff Correspondent

The Election Commission’s counsel Kamal Hossain on Thursday told the High Court that it had no jurisdiction to hear the writ petition filed by the detained BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia as the petition involves political issues.

The court has no jurisdiction over political issues, especially internal feud of any political party, he argued, adding that the writ petition involved the BNP’s internal dispute over leadership.

‘Such internal disputes of a political party need to be resolved by the party, not by the court,’ Kamal told the High Court bench of Justice Mirza Hossain Haider and Justice Mamnoon Rahman on the fifth day of the hearing in the writ petitions that challenged the commission’s invitation to the BNP faction secretary general, Hafizuddin Ahmed, to its dialogues on electoral reforms.

The High Court on November 18, 2007 issued a rule asking the commission to explain the legality of its invitation letter sent to Hafiz on November 5, 2007. Kamal argued the rule had become useless as the commission had already cancelled the invitation and also the dialogue with the BNP was scheduled for November 22, 2007.

The High Court also asked the commission to explain why it would not be directed to invite the BNP secretary general, Khandaker Delwar Hossain, appointed by Khaleda Zia, to its dialogues. ‘The High Court cannot decide on the leadership of a political party,’ Kamal argued.

He said, ‘If the court delivers judgments on such controversial issues, they [decisions] will create disputes in parties.’ The hearing was adjourned till Monday, when Khaleda’s counsel TH Khan would make his submission.

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