SC order on review petition over 'Warrant of Precedence' tomorrow

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) today (6 August) deferred till tomorrow the passing of the order on a plea seeking a review of the apex court judgment on Warrant of Precedence.

A six-member Appellate Division bench headed by Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam passed the order this morning. The Supreme Court on 30 July had set today to pass the order in this connection.

Barrister Salah Uddin Dolon took part in the hearing for the cabinet secretary, while Barrister Nihad Kabir and Advocate Probir Niogi argued for the review plea filed by the Bangladesh Judicial Service Association.

Senior Advocate Ahsanul Karim and Barrister M Abdul Qaium stood for the deputy and assistant attorney generals, who became parties in the case.

Md Ataur Rahman, former secretary general of the Bangladesh Judicial Service Association, filed a writ petition on behalf of the organisation in 2006 with the High Court (HC), challenging the legality of the Warrant of Precedence.

The petitioner said the Cabinet Division had framed the existing Warrant of Precedence in 1986 in an arbitrary manner, without evaluating the dignity and status of judicial officials.

The HC on 4 February 2010, declared the Warrant of Precedence of 1986 illegal and invalid, and issued eight directions in this regard. The state, however, in 2011 appealed against the judgment. The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, after hearing the appeal, pronounced its judgment on 11 January 2015.

It also came up with some corrections over the eight directions issued by the High Court and made three directions out of those.

Bangladesh Judicial Service Association, after that, filed the plea, seeking review of the Appellate Division judgment. Later, the deputy and assistant attorney generals also became parties in the case.