Dhaka: The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred the hearing on the appeal petitions filed challenging the High Court order that cleared the way for BNP leaders Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku and Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu to contest the 11th parliamentary election.

The chamber judge of the Appellate Division Justice Hasan Foyez Siddique stayed the HC order and fixed Wednesday for hearing the petition on the full-bench of the Appellate Division, said Tuku’s lawyer Advocate Taijullah Mamun, reports the UNB.

Earlier in the day, the Election Commission filed an appeal petition with the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order.

Clearing the way for them to contest the 11th parliamentary election, the High Court on Monday stayed the Election Commission’s decision declaring the BNP leaders invalid for the election.

Earlier, the EC rejected the appeals by BNP’s Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku from Sirajganj-2 and Ruhul Kuddus Talukdar Dulu from Natore-2 and stayed the decision of the returning officers.

The BNP leaders filed petitions on Sunday against the decision of the Election Commission.