Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam indicated that if a Member of Parliament is formally expelled by the respective political party, that seat naturally becomes vacant.

He offered these insights to media while addressing legal questions regarding whether an MP retains their seat following party-level expulsion post-election.

EC said representatives elected under a party banner derive their legal foundation and main identity from the party’s structure. Consequently, if a party officially expels a member and revokes their nomination, declaring the seat vacant is the standard legal procedure.

However, the Election Commissioner clarified that the Election Commission (EC) has not yet received any formal documentation or official letter regarding the expulsion.

He noted that the EC operates under specific procedures and defined protocols for announcing bye-elections. Once official documents arrive, the commission will thoroughly review relevant provisions of the Constitution, electoral laws, and regulations before issuing a formal decision.

The Election Commissioner added that it would be premature for the commission to declare a final position based on speculation. The EC will clarify its official stance by citing specific legal statutes once written documents are received. Upon reviewing the paperwork, the commission will announce whether the seat is declared vacant and specify the schedule for any subsequent bye-election.

The clarification comes in the wake of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami expelling Gazi Nazrul Islam, the Member of Parliament for the Satkhira-4 constituency, on grounds of moral turpitude. The decision was formally announced in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon by Ehsanul Mahbub Zubayer, the secretary of the party’s central publicity and media division.