Move Against Justice Manik
Speaker taking a day or two
Speaker Abdul Hamid would give his ruling in a day or two on High Court Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik's “derogatory” remarks about him.
Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali told this in parliament yesterday in response to lawmakers' demand for passing a resolution in the House requesting the president to remove Justice Manik through the Supreme Judicial Council.
“I talked to the Speaker yesterday [Tuesday] about the issue. He told me he will deliver a ruling on the issue. He is now preparing for it,” said Shawkat Ali, who was presiding over the sitting at that time when some ruling alliance MPs demanded passing the resolution.
“Not today, you have to wait one or two days for his ruling. He is now examining constitutional provisions and other laws,” the Deputy Speaker said.
During a hearing Tuesday, Justice Manik observed that the Speaker had committed an offence tantamount to sedition by commenting on a High Court order in parliament. He also said the Speaker was completely ignorant about the apex court and the constitution.
Infuriated by the remarks of Justice Manik, legislators on Tuesday in parliament said Justice Manik had violated the constitution by making “derogatory remarks” about the Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad. They demanded his removal through the Supreme Judicial Council.
Yesterday, Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon raised the issue and sought to know what decision was made in this regard.
“It's a matter of dignity, privileges and sovereignty of the parliament. So, the entire nation wants to know the decision of the chair,” Menon said.
In response, the Deputy Speaker informed the MPs about the Speaker's decision to give a ruling.
But the deputy speaker's reply did not satisfy them. Former railway minister Suranjit Sengupta took the floor and said: “It is not a matter of ruling. It is a matter of passing a resolution in the House.
“We want to pass a resolution unanimously in the House and it will be sent to the president so that he can direct the chief justice to form the Supreme Judicial Council to take action against Justice Manik,” Suranjit said.
Echoing the same view, Awami League MP Tofail Ahmed said Justice Manik “humiliated” the Speaker, the parliament, MPs and the people overall by making “derogatory remarks” about the Speaker. “So, we will have to pass a unanimous resolution,” he said.
The Deputy Speaker again said the Speaker would deliver a ruling on the matter.
MOUDUD FOR RESTORING ARTICLE-96
Urging the government to restore Article-96 of the constitution as it was in 1972, senior BNP leader Moudud Ahmed yesterday said parliament should be empowered to impeach judges.
“According to the constitution, parliament is sovereign. The constitution didn't empower any court to dictate parliament. So we have to protect the sovereignty of the House at any cost,” he told a discussion meeting at the Jatiya Press Club in the capital.
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