DHAKA, Dec 26: The Supreme Court of Bangladesh on Tuesday turned down the appeal of deposed president and chairman of the Jatiya Party, H. M. Ershad, who was sentenced to imprisonment for two years in the Japanese boat purchase scam case, and ordered him to surrender to the lower court.

Following the Supreme Court’s order, Deputy Attorney-General Helaluddin Mollah told reporters Ershad would be barred from contesting in the Jan 22 elections.

Ershad would have to go to jail first and submit the power of attorney approved by the jail authorities along with the case documents for any appeal to the Appellate Division against the High Court’s verdict, he said.

But Ershad’s counsel Rafiqul Huq told reporters that there would be no legal bar stopping his client from contesting elections as he had sought permission from the Appellate Division to appeal against the High Court’s verdict.

Ershad had decided to contest for five parliamentary constituencies as a candidate of the Awami League-led alliance.