Dhaka: The Appellate Division on Sunday rejected the writ petition filed by former Posts, Telecommunications and ICT Minister Abdul Latif Siddique against the High Court (HC) order dismissing his writ challenging the jurisdiction of Election Commission (EC) to carry out hearing on legitimacy of his parliament membership.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, passed the order after a hearing on the writ in the morning.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said following this order Latif Siddiqi will have to attend the hearing of the EC at about 11:00am on Sunday.

Earlier on 20 August, hours after the HC dismissed his writ petition filed challenging the jurisdiction of the EC to hold hearing on the legitimacy of his parliament membership, sacked minister Latif moved the SC against the order.

During the court proceedings on the same day, the SC had fixed today (Sunday) for passing an order on the writ.

An HC bench comprising Justice M Emdadul Haque and Justice Mohammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar dismissed the writ petition filed by the expelled Awami League leader challenging the authority of the EC to hold hearing on the legitimacy of his parliament membership and seeking a stay order on the effectiveness of its notice asking him to attend the hearing on 23 August.

Latif filed the petition with the HC on 16 August challenging the EC’s 9 August notice which fixed 23 August for hearing the dispute.

Siddique was sacked as the posts and telecommunications minister on 12 October last year for his ‘derogatory’ comments on hajj, Tablighi Jamaat, and prime minister’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy at a New York programme on 28 September.

On 24 October, the ruling Awami League cancelled his party membership.

Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam on 7 July informed Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury of the ruling party’s decision.

On 13 July, the Speaker wrote the Chief Election Commissioner for taking necessary steps in this regard.

On 16 July, the EC sent notices to both Latif and Awami League to send their explanations over his membership by 2 August. Both sides submitted their replies through representatives.

The EC on 9 August sent notices to the ruling party and Latif to attend hearing on 23 August to determine Latif’s parliamentary membership.

Later, Latif moved the High Court against the authority of the EC to hold hearing in this regard.