The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court is set to hear today, Tuesday (May 13), an appeal regarding the reinstatement of Jamaat-e-Islami’s cancelled registration as a political party. The date was set by a bench led by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed on May 7, following a plea from lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir seeking an expedited hearing.

The hearing process initially began on March 12 but had since been postponed. On October 22 last year, the Appellate Division had revived the previously dismissed appeal, allowing Jamaat to legally pursue the return of its registration and party symbol, the scales. The bench included four justices and was led by Chief Justice Refaat Ahmed.

Jamaat’s legal team includes Barrister Ehsan A. Siddiq and Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir, while Advocate-on-record Ali Azam represented the opposing party.

The appeal process traces back to a 2013 High Court verdict that declared Jamaat’s registration illegal, which was followed by an official cancellation by the Election Commission in December 2018. Although Jamaat filed an appeal against the verdict, it was dismissed in November 2023 for default due to the absence of their lead counsel. As a result, the High Court’s declaration of Jamaat’s registration as unlawful remained in force.

Meanwhile, amid a public movement against discrimination, the government had banned Jamaat and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir on August 1 under Section 18(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act. However, that ban was reversed through a government gazette issued on August 28.