The returning officer will decide whether jailed BNP chief Khaleda Zia, convicted of graft in two cases, is eligible to run in the 11th Parliamentary Election, says the Election Commission.
“Any call regarding nominations is the returning officer’s call ... However, there’s always the option to file an appeal with the Commission, which will decide on it. In case of a decision against her, she can move the court,” Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam told the media on Monday.
On Monday, the BNP started distributing nomination papers for the general election polls with the first form collected on behalf of incarcerated party chief Khaleda.
Senior party leaders collected forms for the Feni-1 and Bogura-6 and 7 constituencies for her.
Three times prime minister, Khaleda has been on convicted of embezzling funds of the Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable trusts on charges levelled by the Anti-Corruption Commission during the military-installed caretaker government’s emergency regime.
The Representation of People’s Order (RPO) stipulates that a candidate will be disqualified if sentenced to jail for two years or more. The law, however, does not address the issue if the convict challenges the decision in higher courts.