The High Court on Sunday issued a rule asking for explanation as to why the provision of making the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) commissioners accountable to the ACC chair should not be abolished.
An HC bench comprising Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal issued the rule after the hearing on a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Md Kamal Hossain challenging the section 12(2) of the ACC Act 2004.
In its rule, the HC observed that the section is conflicting with the principles of the ACC and asked the authorities to explain in four weeks why it should not be abolished.
President’s Office Secretary, Law Secretary, Cabinet Secretary ACC Chairman and all the ACC
Commissioners were made respondents to the rule.
The Section 12(2) of the ACC Act 2004 says, “Other commissioners shall carry out the duties entrusted to them under the overall supervision and control of the chairman and the commissioners shall be accountable to the chairman.”
Petitioner Md Kamal Hossain told reporters that the ACC is an independent body and according to section 15 of its law, it will take all the decisions in the commission’s meetings.
If the ACC commissioners are made accountable to the commission’s chairman it will hamper the function of the ACC as an independent entity, he added.
