HC sets 17 Dec for final verdict on 15th amendment

The High Court has set 17 December as the date for the final verdict on a writ petition challenging the legality of the 15th amendment to the constitution, which abolished the caretaker government system.

The bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury announced the date today (5 December), after concluding hearings yesterday (4 December).

On 19 August, the High Court asked the government to explain why abolishing the caretaker system should not be declared illegal, after hearing the petition filed by Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN), and four others.

Later, extensive hearings were held over several dates including 30 October, 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 20, 25, 27 and 28 November, and 1 December. 

Additionally, on 29 October, the same High Court bench issued a separate rule following a writ filed by freedom fighter Mofazzal Hossain of Naogaon's Raninagar, challenging the validity of 17 provisions of the 15th amendment.

This rule questioned why these provisions should not be declared inconsistent with the constitution. The High Court also heard arguments on this rule yesterday (4 December).

The 15th amendment to the constitution was introduced during the Awami League government, with the bill passed on 30 June, 2011, and a gazette published on 3 July, 2011.

The amendment abolished the caretaker government system and increased the number of reserved seats for women in parliament from 45 to 50.

It also criminalised the unconstitutional seizure of state power as treason, punishable by the maximum penalty, constitutionally recognise Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the Father of the Nation, restored secularism and religious freedom, and reintroduced nationalism, socialism, democracy, and secularism as state principles.

Additionally, it changed the election timeline, requiring elections to be held within the 90 days preceding the end of parliament's term, instead of within 90 days after the term's expiry.