[Bangla Daily Star] Jamaat-e-Islami...
The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka
The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an
independentbranch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores...
yesterday appealed to the Supreme Court against the High Court verdict that declared the party's registration with the Election Commission illegal, thereby making it unfit for contesting the national polls.
In the appeal, Jamaat prayed to the apex court to scrap the HC verdict, saying the party amended its constitution in December last year in line with the Representation of the People Order (RPO).
The EC did not object to the amendment that time, the appeal added.
A total of 21 points had been mentioned in the appeal to turn down the HC judgement, the party lawyer Belayet Hossain told The Daily Star.
He said the hearing of the appeal might be held in January next year, as the court would go into a vacation from tomorrow [today].
It will reopen on January 2.
Following a writ petition, a three-member special bench of the HC by a majority view declared Jamaat's registration illegal and unlawful on August 1, mentioning that the registration had no legal effect.
The HC released full text of the verdict on November 2.
The court came up with the verdict as many provisions of the charter of Jamaat, which got registered with the EC in November 2008, run counter to the country's constitution and the RPO.
Jamaat's charter contains provisions including the call for establishing the rule of Islam, and refusal to accept parliament's plenary power to enact laws.
The provisions do not conform to Bangladesh's constitution and the RPO.