The final verdict in the appeal filed challenging the validity of the 15th Amendment to the Constitution may come in mid-July, hopes Dr Sharif Bhuiyan, the lawyer representing the petitioner in the case.
The hearing of the case resumed after more than six months at the bench headed by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury in the Appellate Division on Monday.
Attorney General Ruhul Quddus Kazal and Deputy Attorney General Aneek R Haque represented the state at the hearing, while Sharif represented the appellants.
After the hearing, Sharif told reporters: “One of the judges of the current bench will retire in mid-July. Therefore, we hope that the court will conclude the hearing and announce the verdict before then.”
The hearing of the much-discussed case, directly tied to Bangladesh’s electoral system, had previously begun under the tenure of then chief justice Syed Refaat Ahmed. The case was deferred near the end of his term.
Sharif said, “Since this bench has started the hearing, this bench has to finish it. It has to be finished by Jul 13-14, because after that, an honourable judge will retire. If there is no verdict before that honourable judge retires, this entire hearing will be in vain, like last time.”
“We hope that the court will also be ‘eager’ to resolve the matter quickly.”
The final disposition of writs filed by Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, editor of Citizens for Good Governance (SHUJAN), and others is currently being heard simultaneously at the Appellate Division.�"bdnews24
