Caretaker Government System
Alternatives devised by two amici curiae
Eminent jurists Barrister Rafique-ul Huq and Dr M Zahir yesterday placed separate theories of alternative to the caretaker government system before the Supreme Court for holding parliamentary elections in a free and fair manner.
They placed the ideas while making submissions as amicus curiae (friend of court) during hearing on an appeal against the High Court verdict that declared valid the 13th amendment to the constitution allowing elections under the caretaker system.
Rafique-ul Huq told the apex court a panel of 10 members of parliament would be nominated by the treasury and opposition benches before the House is dissolved.
The panel would submit a list of names to another panel of three former chief justices to select the chief of the caretaker government and its nine other advisers, he added.
He said the panel of former chief justices would nominate the names of the chief of the caretaker government who would run the country till the elections.
Strength of the Election Commission must be increased for holding the parliamentary polls in a free and fair manner, Rafique-ul Huq observed.
The senior counsel said the national elections would be held on four different days in four regions of Bangladesh to keep the law and order under control so that no chaos can take place during the polls.
The cast votes would be counted simultaneously on completion of holding elections in all four regions, he added.
Dr M Zahir said the political parties with representatives in parliament would nominate a ten-member panel of MPs before parliament dissolves.
The ten-member panel led by the president will run the country for thirty days and the parliamentary elections will be held within this period under a strong Election Commission.
The interim government cannot take any policymaking decisions other than doing the daily routine work, Zahir added.
A seven-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque yesterday held the hearing for the sixth day. The hearing will resume today.
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