DNCC election 2020: Tabith seeks tribunal's order to call for all records, documents

Defeated BNP candidate Tabith Awal has filed a petition with the election tribunal (Dhaka Joint District Judge Court-1) seeking an order for the returning officer to provide all necessary documents related to the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) election, including EVM.

Barrister AKM Ehsanur Rahman filed the petition on behalf of Tabith Awal on Wednesday. 

The lawyer said the hearing may be held by the election tribunal after Eid-ul-Azha holidays. 

Tabith filed the petition with the tribunal after allegedly sending five letters to provide documents related to the election and getting no response from the concerned offices.

In the petition, Tabith sought 14 specific documents and all other necessary documents related to the election. 

He urged the tribunal to order the returning officer to submit documents, including records relating to a number of sealed EVMs handed over by the assistant returning officers to the presiding officers, all polling cards, audit cards and SD cards used in the EVMs in all the centres, the entire log book containing the use of EVMs in the DNCC Election 2020, list of all election officials and others assigned to various duties and responsibilities. 

According to the lawyer, following the election the defeated BNP candidate Tabith Awal filed a petition with the tribunal for cancelling the election result. Later the court summoned all of the respondents. 

Meanwhile, Tabith repeatedly failed to get the related documents. The tribunal could not hear the case, since the country went into lockdown on March 26 due to the pandemic.