EC approves NCP’s Nusrat as 50th reserved seat lawmaker

The Election Commission (EC) has approved NCP Joint Convener Nusrat Tabassum as the final and 50th lawmaker for the women’s reserved seats in the 13th Parliament, said a notification on Monday.

The EC has already signed on the relevant gazette and sent it to the BG Press for issuance, said Returning Officer and EC Joint Secretary Md Moin Uddin Khan.

Forty-nine other women lawmakers – 36 from BNP alliance, 12 from Jamaat-led bloc, and one independent – took oath on Sunday night after winning the indirect polls uncontested.

A formal gazette would also pave the way for Nusrat to join the list.

However, the EC has also taken preparations for a potential reversal of its decision, subject to a High Court (HC) order on Tuesday regarding another NCP candidate.

Moin Uddin Khan said the EC has already waited two days for a HC order to this end, whenas the norm is for one day. The EC would wait for another day to act upon a HC move.

As of Monday noon, there were confusions over who would get the 50th seat allotted to the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance, where NCP is a partner.  The alliance had a second option for their last allotted seat: NCP’s another Joint Convener Monira Sharmin.

Monira is an aspirant for the 13th seat allotted to the electoral bloc, and her candidacy depends on a High Court (HC) order on Tuesday.

Earlier, the EC rejected Monira’s candidacy on the grounds that she was a government employee less than three years ago, in breach of regulations. But she has filed a writ at the HC against the EC move.

If the HC favours her position, the Jamaat-led bloc would get a second candidate for the 13th seat allotted to it, and would have to choose one.