Muhith says parliament will pass 16th amendment again

Even though the Supreme Court has declared the 16th constitutional amendment, which had given parliament powers to impeach judges, illegal, the finance minister has said that it will be brought back.

Sylhet Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 4 August 2017, 12:55 PM
Updated : 4 August 2017, 01:57 PM

Four days into the release of the full verdict relating to the amendment, AMA Muhith's take on the matter has come even as the government is yet to respond formally to the SC move.

"We will pass this again in the assembly... this law. We will pass this constitutional amendment again and keep on doing that. Let's see how far the judiciary can go," he told reporters on Friday in Sylhet.

"The judiciary's position is untenable in my opinion. They will go over the public representatives? We appoint them," said the minister in what was a clear mood of defiance.

Muhith was visibly angry when he answered journalists on the 16th amendment verdict during a visit to a site at South Surma for the proposed Sylhet medical university.

Parliament passed a bill to take back its powers to remove top court judges by a two-thirds majority on grounds of incompetence and misconduct by amending Article 96 to the Constitution on Sept 17, 2014, which is known as the 16th amendment. 

The High Court declared the amendment illegal last year following a writ petition by some lawyers.

The Appellate Division upheld the High Court verdict on July 3, and published the full verdict on Tuesday, reviving the Supreme Judicial Council for removal of top court judges.