"If we all want to protect the election process from manipulation in future, this incident (alleged tampering) has to be inquired independently, and persons in this need to be identified," said Saber Hossain Chowdhury, political secretary to the Opposition Leader and AL President Sheikh Hasina.

The Supreme Court, which turned down yesterday the appeal petition filed by the Election Commission (EC), earlier found irregularities in the appeal papers that the attorney general's office presented.

Besides, lawyers of the Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh candidate Major (retired) Abdul Mannan had also alleged tampering with the by-elections schedule.

Saber, also an organising secretary of AL, noted that if investigations were not done on the alleged wrongdoing then people would lose confidence in EC and the electoral process as well.

He also wanted to know why certain EC officials were so hyperactive in the process of this case.