DHAKA, Jan 29: The high court of Bangladesh on Monday ordered the country’s Election Commission to suspend all elections for three months. The court asked the Election Commission to explain within three weeks as to why the existing electoral roll should not be declared illegal as it had been prepared without complying with the Representation of People Order, 1972, and directives issued by the Supreme Court. The High Court also asked the commission to explain why any elections without transparent ballot box and voter identity card should not be declared illegal.

A High Court bench passed the orders after hearing a writ petition filed by Kazi Mamunur Rashid, a voter of Dhaka.

The petitioner submitted that the Election Commission had failed to prepare the electoral roll in accordance with the guideline detailed in the law and the Supreme Court order.

“Any free, fair and credible election, either local or national, cannot take place without a valid and flawless electoral roll,” the petition said.

The court order came at a time when debates were raging as to whether the polls could be held in the next three months after the Election Commission failed to arrange the polling within the stipulated 90-day timeframe because of political turmoil.

The deadlock led to declaration of a state of emergency in the country on Jan 11 and the Election Commission on Jan 21 issued a notification canceling the election scheduled for Jan 22.

President Iajuddin Ahmed stepped aside as the chief adviser to the interim government on Jan 11 and it was reconstituted to prepare a ‘level playing filed’ before holding the polls.