The High Court (HC) on Tuesday stayed the activities of the public notification issued by the Election Commission (EC) for registration of new political parties.

The HC bench of Justice Md Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja passed the order after hearing a petition.

It also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the public notification seeking application for registration of political parties in the light of  section 90 (kha) of Representation of the People Order to thwart the recommendation of the Election System Reform Commission issued on March 10, should not be declared  unlawful.

The Chief Election Commissioner, Secretary to the EC and Election System Reform Commission were made respondents to the rule which is returnable in four weeks.

Advocate Abeda Gulrukh stood for the petitioner.

Supreme Court Lawyer Hasnat Kaiyum filed a writ petition on Monday.

On March 10, the Election Commission invited applications from the new political parties by April 20 next to get registered ahead of the next national election.

New political parties are registered with the Election Commission in line with Article 90A of the Representation of the People Order, 1972.

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According to the Representation of the People Order (RPO), a political party can register its name with the commission after fulfilling the conditions mentioned in section 90 (Kha).

Under the section 90 (Kha), there are certain conditions for registration in the district and upazila level offices, such as having an active central office, including a central committee; establishment of district offices in not more than one-third administrative districts and offices in at least 100 upazilas or metropolitan police stations, each of which has a minimum enrollment of 200 voters as members, etc.

According to the law, Advocate Hasnat Kaiyum said, there must be committees of political parties in at least 100 upazilas and 22 districts for registration.

But there are 20 upazilas in the three hill districts. For this reason, the residents of the hill areas will not be able to register political parties even if they are interested.

The condition was added to the Representation of the People Order (RPO) in 2011 during the autocratic government.

The Electoral Reform Commission has recommended registration as a political party if there are 5,000 members, including 5 percent upazila and 10 percent district committees. In this situation, the public notice was hurriedly given under the old law.

The writ petition was filed on the grounds that the definition of a political party in the constitution is against the spirit of the public notification, he said.