HC sets 17 Dec for final verdict on 15th amendment

News Desk :: 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, following a writ petition moved by Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of SHUJAN, and four others.

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.