Strengthening Judiciary
HC judges should be appointed by law: Suranjit
The country would not have a strong judiciary until the High Court judges are appointed through enactment of a law as per the constitution, Railways Minister Suranjit Sengupta said yesterday.
The article 95 of the constitution says a person shall not be qualified for appointment as a judge unless he or she has been a advocate of the Supreme Court for at least 10 years; or has held judicial office in the territory of Bangladesh for at least 10 years; or has such other qualifications as may be prescribed by law for appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court.
As no law, prescribing other qualifications, has been enacted, the judges are being appointed under the first two clauses of the constitution.
“I have said it before and I am saying it again that judges of the High Court [a division of the SC] should be appointed by law. Unless the judges are appointed by law as per the constitution, the judiciary would not be strengthened and enriched”, he said at a book launch.
The book, “Sangbidhaner Panchadash Sangshodhoni: Alochona-Tarka-Bitarka”, (fifteenth amendment to the constitution: discussion and debate) authored by Amin Al Rasheed, senior reporter of ABC Radio, and published by Oitijjhya was launched at Dhaka Reporters Unity.
Unveiling the cover of the book, Suranjit, who was chief of the parliamentary standing committee on the law ministry before he took oath as a minister, said the judiciary is independent now and Sheikh Hasina is not there.
About caretaker government, Suranjit, who was co-chair of the parliamentary special committee for constitutional amendments, said a consensus should be made over the issue, but before that both the ruling and opposition parties have to be obedient to the constitution.
Asif Nazrul, a professor of Dhaka University, stressed the need for having the caretaker government for at least next two elections, saying that caretaker government is not the ultimate solution, but elections under a partisan government is not acceptable in the context of current political situation.
Dr Shahdeen Malik and Prothom Alo Associate Editor Mizanur Rahman Khan also spoke on the occasion.
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