The Supreme Court chamber judge has halted the High Court’s order staying the conviction and six-year jail term given to BNP candidate for Jashore-2 constituency Sabira Sultana.
Consequently, she will not be able to contest the 11th parliamentary election which is scheduled to be held on December 30.
Justice Hasan Foez Siddique issued the stay on the decision at the request of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the state on Saturday.
The judge also set Sunday as the date for the hearing by the Appellate Division bench.
A full Appellate Division bench led by the chief justice will hear the appeal on Sunday morning.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, Additional Attorney General Murad Reza and Additional Attorney General Momtaz Uddin Fakir represented the state. The ACC was represented by Khurshid Alam Khan and ABM Bayezid.
Lawyers AJ Mohammad Ali, Aminul Islam, Jainul Abedin and Mahbubuddin Khokon represented Jashore Jhikorgacha Upazila Chairman Sabira Sultana at the hearing.
On Jul 12 this year the Dhaka Special Judge Court-7 sentenced Sultana to six years in jail and ordered the confiscation of illegal assets worth over Tk 1.79 billion in a case over illegal earnings and keeping assets secret.
Sabira, currently out on bail, contested the special court verdict’s at the High Court on Oct 14.
High Court Justice Md Rais Uddin then passed an order on November 29, halting Sabira’s conviction and the sentence delivered by the trial court.
Her lawyers had said that the High Court’s decision would allow her to compete for the Jashore-2 seat in the upcoming 11th parliamentary election.
The constitution bars any person sentenced to more than two years in jail from running for election until five more years have passed after they serve the prison term.