SC starts hearing appeal on 16th amendment

The Supreme Court today started hearing on the government appeal against the High Court verdict that scrapped 16th amendment of the constitution which empowered the parliament to remove its judges for incapacity or misbehaviour.

A five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha began the hearing at 11:30am with Additional Attorney General Murad Reza reading out from the High Court verdict.

After concluding today’s proceedings, the apex court adjourned the hearing till tomorrow.

Following a writ petition filed by nine SC lawyers, the HC on May 5 last year declared the 16th amendment to the constitution illegal.

The HC, however, allowed the government to move an appeal before the Appellate Division against the verdict.

On January 4 this year, the government filed an appeal against the HC verdict with the SC.