Dhaka: The Election Commission on Sunday ordered the returning officer to stop all election activities in Gazipur City Corporation following a stay order of the High Court.

Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder said this while talking to reporters at his office in the city’s Nirbachan Bhaban in the afternoon.

‘We’ve ordered the returning officer to stop all polls activities in Gazipur City Corporation respecting the court order,’ he said adding that they came to know through media that the High Court stayed the election for six months.

The Election Commissioner said, ‘We’re yet to know for what reason the election was stayed—whether it was for the Local Government Division’s fault or for the (Election) Commission’s.’

Mahbub Talukder said the Election Commission will fix its next course of measures in this regard after receiving the copy of the stay order.

Earlier in the day, the High Court stayed the Gazipur City Corporation election scheduled to be held on May 15.

An HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed passed the order following hearing on a writ petition.

The Election Commission on March 31 last announced the election schedules for Khulna and Gazipur city corporations fixing the voting for May 15.