Eminent jurist Rokanuddin Mahmud yesterday told the High Court that Article 19 of the RPO, which allows the Election Commission to declare a contender elected uncontested, is valid as the provision is not contrary to the constitution.
He also said the HC cannot dictate parliament to make any law incorporating a “no vote” provision.
The senior counsel made the observations while placing his arguments before the HC as amicus curiae (friend of the court) during the hearing of two separate writ petitions filed challenging the legality of Article 19 of the Representation of the People Order (RPO) and seeking a “no vote” provision in the election.
In the January 5 general election, 153 out of 300 candidates were elected uncontested.

Rokanuddin told the HC that no question was raised about the legality of Article 19 of the RPO in 43 years after the country's independence, although several elections were held in the country during this period.
He, however, said arguments can be made on 153 lawmakers, who have been elected unopposed in the January 5 election.  
Another amicus curiae Ajmalul Hossain on June 12 told the HC that 153 contenders' being elected unopposed in the January 5 national polls is legal.
Earlier, two other veteran jurists Dr Kamal Hossain and Rafique-Ul Huq placed their opinions before the HC against the January 5 elections.   
The HC bench of Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar will resume the hearing today.
A Gazipur candidate, Khandker Abdus Salam, whose candidacy in the January 5 election was cancelled for “defaulting on loans,” filed one of the petitions in last December.
In November last year, Supreme Court lawyers Md Shahriar Mozid and Rokunuddin Md Faruq filed another petition with the HC, seeking its directives for reintroduction of the provision of “no vote”.