The bill for a constitutional amendment to restore Parliament’s authority to impeach Supreme Court judges is set to be tabled at the House According to post of the National Parliament website, it is included as an agenda for the session on Sunday. Law minister Anisul Haque will table the bill, which will be then forwarded to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs ministry for vetting. On Sept 2, the Speaker hinted that the bill would be passed in the current session. “If tabled, the bill will be passed,” Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said while speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee. The Cabinet gave the green light to the amendment on Aug 18. The Law Minister then said that there was a possibility to pass it during the current Parliament session. The BNP is opposing the move and says the government wants to consolidate its ‘one-party rule’ through the amendment. Meanwhile, the Jatiya Party, which has joined the government but sits in the Opposition, has decided to oppose the bill. The first Constitution of Bangladesh in 1972 gave Parliament the jurisdiction to settle the tenure of top judges and decide about their removal. The president was then vested with the power through the fourth constitutional amendment in 1974. Later, a Supreme Judicial Council was constituted on a order by military dictator Ziaur Rahman after the fourth amendment was scrapped. Ruling Awami League MPs demanded the power to impeach Supreme Court judges be returned to Parliament after a High Court judge issued a ruling in 2012 involving Abdul Hamid, then speaker of parliament and now President. –bdnews24.com
