Dhaka, Jun 09 (V7N) – The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of the High Court's full verdict directing the establishment of a separate secretariat for the Supreme Court within three months.
The order was issued on Tuesday by a four-member appellate bench headed by the Chief Justice. The court also fixed June 16 for the hearing of the full appeal filed by the state.
At the beginning of the proceedings, Attorney General Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal submitted a petition seeking a stay on the High Court verdict concerning the formation of a separate Supreme Court secretariat. Following a brief hearing, the Appellate Division granted the stay order and scheduled a date for the appeal hearing.
Speaking after the hearing, the Attorney General said the stay was necessary to remove what he described as stagnation within the judiciary. He added that implementation of the High Court's directives without a stay could have created significant administrative complications.
The High Court had published its full 185-page judgment on April 7. Subsequently, the government filed an appeal against the verdict on May 21.
In its ruling, the High Court declared unconstitutional the provision under Article 116 of the Constitution that vested the President with authority over the appointment, promotion, leave and disciplinary control of magistrates in the subordinate judiciary. The judgment effectively transferred those responsibilities to the Supreme Court.
The matter is now set for further legal scrutiny when the appeal comes up for hearing before the Appellate Division on June 16.
END/SMA/AJ
