The Election Commission will take immediate step to cancel registration of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami after getting the copy of the High Court verdict that declared ‘illegal’ its registration as a political party.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed said this while talking to reporters Thursday at the commission’s office in reaction to the High Court verdict.

“The EC will take steps about Jamaat soon after getting the copy of the High Court verdict. We are bound to comply with the court order,” the CEC said.

In reply to a query as to whether Jamaat will now get chance to take part in the next parliamentary polls, he said, “If their (Jammat’s) registration is cancelled, none of the party will be allowed to participate in the next polls with poll symbol ‘scale’. But they will be able to compete in the election either as independent candidate or under the banner of other political parties or alliance.”

Election commissioner Shah Nawaz told newsmen, “We must obey the verdict of the honourable court. We will go for next course of action soon after receiving the copy of verdict.”

Asked whether the parliament membership of two Jamaat MPs will exist, he said, “We are yet to know what the court have directed in its verdict. So, nothing could be said before examining the copy of the HC verdict.”

A larger HC bench of Justice M Moazzam Husain, Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Quazi Reza-ul Hoque delivered the judgment on a writ petition in the form of public interest litigation challenging the validity of the EC decision that had given registration to Jamaat as a political party in 2008.