High Court Issues Rule to Make Bachelor's Degree Mandatory for Union Parishad Chairman Candidates

The High Court has issued a rule asking why candidates contesting the post of Union Parishad (UP) chairman should not be required to possess at least a bachelor's degree. The court also sought an explanation as to why Section 26 of the Local Government (Union Parishad) Act, 2009, which does not prescribe any minimum educational qualification for the post, should not be declared inconsistent with the Constitution.

The rule was issued on Tuesday by a High Court bench comprising Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar following a preliminary hearing on a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyers Kazi Ferdousul Hasan and Md. Tanvir Ahmed Khan. The development was confirmed on Wednesday by petitioner-lawyer Kazi Ferdousul Hasan.

The court directed the Secretaries of the Local Government Division and the Ministry of Law, along with the Chief Election Commissioner, to respond to the rule.

According to the petitioners, a Union Parishad chairman exercises significant administrative and quasi-judicial powers, including presiding over village courts, which are authorized to settle disputes involving claims of up to Tk 300,000. In contrast, a magistrate exercising similar judicial authority must hold at least a bachelor's degree and pass the Bangladesh Judicial Service (BJS) examination.

Arguing that no minimum educational qualification is currently required for the Union Parishad chairman post, the petitioners challenged Section 26 of the Local Government (Union Parishad) Act, 2009. Through the writ petition, they sought a directive making a bachelor's degree the minimum educational qualification for candidates contesting the position.