16th amendment appeal hearing deferred till May 21
3 || risingbd.com
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Staff Correspondent: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has adjourned till May 21 the hearing on an appeal filed against a High Court verdict that scrapped the 16th constitutional amendment that empowered Parliament to impeach Supreme Court judges.
A five‐member Supreme Court (SC) bench, headed by Chief Justice SK Sinha fixed May 21 for next hearing after holding hearing on the appeal plea for second day.
Earlier, SC rejected two weeks’ time petition filed by Attorney General Mahbubey Alam.
The court also asked the 12 amicus curiae (friend of court) to submit their opinion in writing.
On Monday, the Appellate Division started the hearing on the appeal plea.
On May 5 last year, the HC declared the 16th Amendment to the Constitution illegal. The government on January 4 last filed an appeal challenging the HC decision.
The Constitution, drafted in 1972, had given the MPs the power to impeach judges and decide their term in office. But after the Fourth Amendment in 1975, the power was vested with the President.
risingbd/Dhaka/May 9, 2017/Mehedi/Nasim
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