Law minister wants code of conduct for Supreme Court judges

Law Minister Anisul Huq says there should a code of conduct for Supreme Court judges.

His comments come after a retired judge represented war crimes convict Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali on Wednesday.

“A code of conduct for Supreme Court judges is now a necessity,” he told reporters at his office on Thursday.

The minister said he would discuss the issue with Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha.

Retired High Court judge Nazrul Islam Chowdhury has taken over as counsel for Mir Quasem even as he is currently on post-retirement leave.

Chowdhury went on retirement in December last year.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam has termed the ex-judge’s conduct as “highly unethical”.

He urged the court while it was hearing Mir Quasem’s appeal against the war crimes tribunal’s verdict to consider whether Chowdhury could represent a person while enjoying the benefits of a judge.

Alam told journalists that it “will be highly unethical on the part of a retired judge to represent a person at court under the given circumstances.”

For his part, Justice Chowdhury says he is availing the facilities because there is a legal provision to that effect.

“We respect judges...never felt that such a law was needed,” the minister said while speaking to the media on Thursday.

As per Section 99 of Article 2A (1) of the Constitution, a judge of the High Court Division can practise as a lawyer in the Appellate Division after retirement.

Referring to it, the minister said if a judge wants to practise then he either has to wait until his post-retirement leave ends or surrender government facilities like accommodation, transport and security.