The Appellate Division has upheld the High Court rule scrapping the government gazette and circulars imposing a minimum age to be eligible for the status of a freedom fighter. The state had sought a stay order on the HC rule but the four-member bench led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain rejected it on Sunday. The government had issued a notice saying those who were aged under 12 and a half year on Nov 30, 1971 will not be considered as a freedom fighter. Two High Court judges, Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil, announced the verdict declaring the circulars illegal on May 19 following the hearings of 15 writ petitions. The Appellate bench issued a ‘no-order’ on Sunday following the hearing after the appeal for a stay reached the bench through the chamber court. Attorney General Mahbubey Alam represented the state, accompanied by Deputy Attorney General Bishawjit Debnath. Barrister M Altaf Hossain and Omar Sadat were the legal counsels for the petitioners. “The Appellate Division has issued a ‘no order’ on the state’s petition meaning the High Court order will remain valid,” Altaf told the media.