The Election Commission (EC) has no immediate role in the expulsion of Gazi Nazrul Islam, the lawmaker from Satkhira-4, from Jamaat-e-Islami, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud said today.

"This is a very controversial matter, whether expulsion from a party means losing the MP post. Even if someone resigns from the party, that reference has to come from parliament," he said while speaking to reporters at his office at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, this morning.

"If such a letter comes, we may review what can be done. But from what I understand, the commission has little scope to act solely on that letter. If any such letter reaches us, we will examine it carefully to see whether the commission has any responsibility," he said.

Clarifying the constitutional position, Masud said, "If he resigns from parliament, that does not come to the Election Commission. 

Under Article 67 of the Constitution, resignation as a member of parliament is a separate matter, while resignation from a party post is a different matter."

"If parliament sends that to the EC, then the commission will investigate and decide accordingly. At this moment, we have no process in hand," he added.