HC appoints amici curiae for opinion

The High Court (HC) yesterday appointed three amici curiae (friend of court) for expert opinion on the legality of formation of a parliamentary body to investigate corruption allegations against former speaker Jamiruddin Sircar.
The three are barrister Rafique-Ul Huq, advocate Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan and Dr M Zahir.
A special division bench of the HC comprised of Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice Borhan Uddin made the appointments during the hearing on a writ petition by Sircar challenging the legality of formation of the parliamentary probe body concerning him.
The HC said it might appoint two more amici curiae for their opinion in this regard.
Further hearing on the matter will be held next week, said the court.
The HC bench came up with the decision after hearing arguments placed by the counsels for both the petitioner and the state on whether the HC can issue a rule on a matter relating to parliament.
Petitioner's counsels TH Khan and Fida M Kamal told the court that formation of the parliamentary body was illegal since it was formed without following the due process of law.
They prayed to the court to issue a rule upon the government and parliament authorities to explain why formation of the probe body should not be declared illegal.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam vehemently opposed the petition, saying there is no scope for the HC to issue any rule upon the government on this matter since it relates to parliament. So, there was no illegality in forming the parliamentary probe body.
On August 17, Sircar filed the writ petition praying to the HC to issue a rule upon the government, and to stay the proceedings and recommendations made by the parliamentary sub-committee relating to him.
Incumbent Speaker Abdul Hamid, chief of the House body Fazle Rabbi Mia and 13 others were made respondents in the writ petition.
The House sub-committee was formed on March 19 this year to conduct an enquiry into alleged corruption in parliament secretariat in the last seven years till Abdul Hamid took over as speaker.