2 secys summoned for not finalising judges’ guidelines

The Supreme Court today summoned two secretaries of law ministry asking them to appear before it on December 12 for not complying with its order about finalising the rules determining the discipline of lower court judges.

The apex court asked Attorney General Mahbubey Alam to ensure the presence of the secretaries -- ASSM Zahirul Haque and Md Shahidul Haque -- before the court on the morning of December 12 for giving their explanation.

The full bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order during hearing the Masdar Hossain case, known as judiciary separation case.

Earlier, the apex court had ordered the law ministry several times to finalise the rules determining the discipline of the lower court judges as per its directives.

But the ministry had sought time from the Supreme Court for complying with the order.

On December 1, the Appellate Division set a time limit for seven days for the ministry to finalise the rules and asked it to submit the gazette notification on the rules before the court today.

But Attorney General Mahbubey Alam today prayed to the apex court for further time on behalf of the ministry.