The order came against a writ petition filed one month ago by three lawyers who argued that the EC should compile such information on candidates and make them public to help voters choose their representatives properly.

On the day of filing the petition, the court had issued a rule on the EC asking it to explain why it should not be directed to take measures to collect information as mentioned in the writ petition. The EC did not oppose the rule.

Yesterday, the High Court made the rule absolute and ordered that when a person files nomination paper for parliamentary election, the EC should ask the candidate to provide a set of information through affidavit.

The required information are about the candidate's academic qualification (to be proved by certificate), and about whether they are accused in any criminal cases at present or whether there were any criminal records in the past.

The candidates should also inform the EC about their profession and sources of income. The assets and liabilities of the candidate and their dependants should also be reported.

They should also inform the EC whether they had been member of parliament before and the role they played individually and collectively in fulfilling the commitment to the people.

The candidates should also report to the EC about the amount of loans taken from bank and financial institutions (personally, jointly or by dependent of the candidate) or loans taken from bank by the company where the candidate is the chairman or director.

"We have filed the petition in the interest of the public. We want voters to cast their votes on the basis of correct information. If people do not know about the candidates, it will create scopes for lawbreakers to become lawmakers," Advocate Abdul Momen Chowdhury, one of the three petitioners, told reporters.

"Since the court has accepted our prayer, it is now the responsibility of the EC to decide how it will inform the public the whereabouts of the candidates," he added.

The two other petitioners are Advocate KM Zabir and Advocate Zahurul Islam. Dr Kamal Hossain moved the petition along with Abdul Momen Chowdhury.