Suranjit's Portfolio
HC to pass order on writ Thursday
The High Court yesterday fixed Thursday for passing order on a writ petition that challenged the legality of Suranjit Sengupta's appointment as a minister without portfolio.
The HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Khan set the date after concluding hearing on the petition.
Advocate Tuhin Malik, who filed the petition on September 26, argued before the court yesterday that that there is no post of minister without portfolio under the constitution.
If a minister submits a resignation letter to the prime minister, it is considered that the minister has already resigned, he said, adding that the person has to take a fresh oath to be restored to the post.
But Suranjit has not taken a fresh oath after his resignation on April 16, he added.
Additional Attorney General Murad Reza opposed the petition, saying that the power to distribute the portfolio to any minister is vested upon the prime minister as per the constitution.
On April 17 this year, the government appointed Suranjit as a minister without portfolio, just a day after he stepped down as the railways minister amid a railway-gate scandal.
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