‘Govt’s review plea a stand against judiciary’

The government’s petition seeking review of the scrapping of 16th constitutional amendment is a stand against the judiciary, the Supreme Court Bar Association says.

It brought the claim at a press briefing held at the association’s South Hall today, a day after the petition for reviewing the judgement was filed before the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court’s verdict on 16th amendment, that scrapped the parliament’s power to impeach judges for “incapacity or misconduct”, is the most talked-about verdict of recent times.

READ MORE: Govt files review plea

“The government has taken a stand against the apex court by filing the petition,” Advocate Zainul Abedin, president of Supreme Court Bar Association, said in the press briefing.

“We believe seven judges of the Appellate Division gave the judgement. Among them, five judges are in the Appellate Division. They will scrap the petition in line with their previous judgement,” he said.

The two other judges who were involved with the verdict are now in retirement.

Then chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, was the person who faced most of the heat, from ruling lawmakers, for delivering the verdict has retired after the verdict.

READ MORE: Chief Justice SK Sinha resigns

“The Appellate Division’s judgement is not against any person or any alliance. Despite that, quarters of the government have forced chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha to resign,” Zainul said.

The Bar association president said it appears from the Attorney General’s statement that the government has forcefully sent Justice SK Sinha through a judicial coup for his judgement.

“They (the government) are now hatching conspiracy to cancel the full judgement of the Appellate Division on the 16th amendment through filing the review petition,” he said.