Calcutta, Aug. 1: Bangladesh High Court today declared Jamaat-e-Islami’s registration with the Election Commission as “illegal”, barring it from contesting this year’s general election and prompting secular groups in the country to claim partial victory.

A three-member court panel passed the order on a writ petition moved in January 2009 by the Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, which supports Prime Minister Hasina Wajed’s ruling Awami League.

Jamaat, an ally of main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of Khaleda Zia, is expected to appeal the verdict in the country’s Supreme Court.

Till late this evening, there were no reports of any street protests by the Jamaat, which has a significant social influence because of its ardent Islamist stand and resources. But the party has limited political influence with a vote share below 5 per cent.

“The order will not have much political significance. If the Jamaat is banned from contesting the elections, its votes will be transferred to the BNP, which will be the gainer,” said a Bangaldesh-based academic who did not wish to be quoted. In some recent civic polls, the BNP had fared better than the Awami League.

Human rights organisations welcomed the judgment. “The Jamaat’s charter is in conflict with Bangladesh’s constitution. The party discriminates in terms of gender, caste, religion and race…. It spreads communal disharmony,” Tania Amir, Tarikat’s lawyer, told The Telegraph .

Media reports quoted the Bangladesh chief election commissioner as saying the commission would act after receiving a copy of the judgment.

Left-leaning and youth groups had, during the Shahbag protests earlier this year, intensified their demand for a ban on the Jamaat, accused of “crimes against humanity” during the 1971 war.