Bad news for MPs who are president of governing bodies and managing committees at schools and colleges in their constituencies.
Published : 01 Jun 2016, 10:37 PM
The High Court on Wednesday declared the rule that allows the MPs to preside over the governing bodies and managing committees of the secondary and higher secondary institutions runs contrary to the Constitution.
The bench of Justice Zinat Ara and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque said the rule related to the appointment of the heads of the panels in the Regulation for Managing Committee and Governing Bodies contradicts Article 11 of the Constitution, Intermediate and Secondary Education Ordinance, 1961, and the basic spirit of the regulation itself.
The judges also observed the intermediate and secondary education boards will decide whether the MPs can be on the committees and how.
They also declared the rule to form special committees in these institutions ultra vires - beyond the powers of those who had made it.
The High Court had been hearing a public interest litigation filed by lawyer Yunus Ali Akand.
He told bdnews24.com that the verdict bars the MPs from being president of the managing committees of these institutions.
The State counsel Deputy Attorney General Ishrat Jahan, however, disagreed.
“The MPs can be elected president. But they cannot become president on a whim,” she said.
She also said the State will appeal against the verdict ‘for clarification’.
Akand filed the writ petition on Dec 31 last year challenging the special committee of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College.