Forty-one defeated candidates, mainly from the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the main opposition Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, have challenged the results of the 13th parliamentary election, alleging irregularities and ballot stuffing.

The aggrieved candidates have filed election petitions before the High Court, acting as an election tribunal, seeking recounts of ballots of their respective constituencies and declaring them as winners.

Of the 41 petitions, 25 were filed by BNP candidates, 13 by Jamaat candidates, two by candidates from Jamaat’s allies, and one by an independent candidate.

Following preliminary hearings, the High Court accepted the petitions for hearing and directed authorities to preserve all relevant election materials, including ballot papers, result sheets and CCTV footage.

Notices have also been issued to the respondents and the winning candidates, who were declared MPs officially.

Legal proceedings are expected to begin after the respondents submit their replies to the notices, although lawyers said that the hearings might take considerable time.

Article 57(6) of the Representation of the People Order, 1972 says, ‘The High Court Division shall try an election petition as expeditiously as possible and shall endeavour to conclude the trial within six months from the date on which the election petition is presented to it for trial.’

According to article 49 of the Representation of the People Order, the chief justice designates a High Court bench as an election tribunal to adjudicate disputes relating to electoral irregularities.

The single-member bench of Justice Md Zakir Hossain was initially assigned to hear the petitions linked to the electoral dispute, and his bench accepted 39 petitions and passed preliminary orders between February 26 and March 12.

During the Supreme Court vacation from March 15 to April 16, a single bench of Justice Mohammad Ali has been entrusted with hearing such petitions.

On Monday, the bench held preliminary hearings on two petitions and directed the authorities to preserve election materials.

Senior lawyer Ruhul Quddus Kajal, who moved most of the petitions of the defeated BNP candidates, said that aggrieved candidates have 30 days from the publication of the election result in the gazette to file petitions.

‘Although the deadline has passed, those who filed petitions within the stipulated time will be entitled to hearings,’ he said.

‘In most cases, the court has set April 19 and beyond for the return of notices due to the Supreme Court vacation. In some cases, deadlines extend to May and June. Hearings on the merits will begin once the notices are returned,’ he added.

The BNP candidates who challenged the poll results include Tanvir Ahmed Robin (Dhaka-4), Nabi Ullah (Dhaka-5), MA Quayum (Dhaka-11), Aminul Haque (Dhaka-16), and Syed Emran Saleh Prince (Mymensingh-1).

Jamaat candidates who filed petitions include Abdul Mannan (Dhaka-6), Enayet Ullah (Dhaka-7), Jasim Uddin Sarkar (Dhaka-10), and Mia Golam Parwar (Khulna-5).

Two candidates from Jamaat’s allies —Maulana Mamunul Haque of the Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis (Dhaka-13) and Omar Faruk of the Liberal Democratic Party (Chattogram-14)—also moved the court.

Besides, independent candidate Abdul Matin for the Cumilla-2 constituency filed a petition alleging electoral irregularities.

Lawyers said that the outcome of these petitions could have significant legal and political implications, depending on the tribunal’s findings regarding the complaint of irregularities in the election process.