SC order on caretaker govt today

The Supreme Court is set to deliver its verdict today on the appeals and review petitions against its 2011 judgment that scrapped the non-party caretaker government system.

The appeals and petitions have been listed as item numbers 1 and 2 in today's cause list for announcement of judgment, according to the SC website uploaded yesterday afternoon.

On November 11, a seven-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed concluded the hearing and fixed today for delivering the verdict on the appeals and review petitions.

During the hearing, the lawyers for the appellants, petitioners and the state prayed to the top court to overturn its 2011 judgment and restore the non-party caretaker government system to the constitution for holding free and fair elections and to establish democracy in the country.

BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, five citizens, freedom fighter Mofazzal Islam of Naogaon and two rights organisations lodged the review petitions last year challenging the 2011 verdict.

A seven-judge full bench of the Appellate Division, headed by the then chief justice ABM Khairul Haque, had declared by majority view on May 10, 2011 that the 13th amendment to the constitution (related to the caretaker government) was null and void.

After the verdict was announced, the 15th Amendment Act was passed by the Jatiya Sangsad on June 30, 2011, bringing several changes including abolition of the caretaker government system. A gazette notification was issued to this effect on July 3, 2011.

Senior lawyer Sharif Bhuiyan appeared for the five citizens. Senior lawyers Zainul Abedin, Md Badruddoza Badal and Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal argued for BNP. Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir argued for Jamaat-e-Islami. Lawyer Shahriar Kabir represented Mofazzal. Lawyers Ehsan A Siddiq and Imran Siddiq stood for the rights organisations, while Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman and Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque represented the state during the hearing.