The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has upheld a Chamber Court order that suspended a High Court directive halting the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election. As a result, the polls will take place as scheduled on September 9.
In its ruling, the Appellate Division’s full bench stated that the High Court’s suspension order would remain stayed until October 30, clearing the way for the university authorities to conduct the election.
Shishir Monir, counsel for Dhaka University, confirmed that there are no longer any legal barriers to the candidacy of SM Farhad, the general secretary (GS) hopeful backed by Islami Chhatra Shibir.
The legal battle began earlier this week when the High Court, on Monday, ordered the DUCSU election suspended after a petition challenged Farhad’s eligibility. The writ was filed by BM Fahmida Alam, a left alliance candidate for Liberation War and Democratic Movements Secretary, who alleged that Farhad was linked to the banned Islamist group Islami Chhatra Shibir.
Following the High Court’s suspension order, the Chamber Court quickly stayed that decision the same day. The matter was then placed before the Appellate Division, which delivered its ruling on Wednesday (September 3).
With the Supreme Court’s decision, Dhaka University is now set to hold the long-delayed DUCSU polls on schedule, ending three decades of suspension of student union elections.
