Justice Wahhab Miah heads Appellate Division during Sinha’s leave

Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah is heading the Appellate Division as it resumes its session in the absence of Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, who has taken a month’s leave amid a continuing row over the court’s decision to dismiss the 16th constitutional amendment.

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha at a reception by Bangladesh Women Judges Association at Dhaka’s Judicial Administration Training Institute on Saturday. Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha at a reception by Bangladesh Women Judges Association at Dhaka’s Judicial Administration Training Institute on Saturday.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court began its session at 9:05am on Tuesday with a five-member bench led by Justice Miah. The other members of the bench were Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, Justice Muhammad Imman Ali, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique and Justice Mirza Hussain Haider.

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha at a reception by Bangladesh Women Judges Association at Dhaka’s Judicial Administration Training Institute on Saturday.

Tuesday’s court session was scheduled to end at 10am.

Justice Sinha’s last workday prior to the court recess was Aug 24.

President Md Abdul Hamid had made Justice Miah the acting head of the court temporarily during the chief justice’s two-week trip abroad on Sept 10.

A communiqué from the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs stated that the chief justice would be taking 30-day leave, from Oct 3 to Nov 1, for health reasons.

Justice Miah would head the court in the interim, it said.

Sinha was appointed as the chief justice of the Supreme Court on Jan 17, 2015. His term ends on Jan 31, 2018. He faced harsh criticism from the ruling Awami League party and its allies over the 16th amendment verdict and some of the observations included in it.

Pro-Awami League lawyers had threatened to push for Sinha’s resignation following the Appellate Division’s return to session.

A meeting of the full court will be held at the Supreme Court Judge's Lounge at 2:15pm on Tuesday. All judges from the High Court and the Appellate Division are to be in attendance, according to a notice from the Deputy Registrar.