Lawyers have urged to ensure merit, efficiency and integrity in appointing judges to high courts. They urged this in the discussion meeting on the appointment of Supreme Court Judges Ordinance, 2024.
The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs organized this exchange meeting at the Judicial Administration Training Institute in the capital on Saturday. It was presided over by the interim government's legal adviser. Asif Nazrul Supreme Court Justices, Attorney General, Lawyers, Judges and Educationists participated in the exchange meeting.
Legal adviser Asif Nazrul said that good judges should be appointed in the high court. It is very important. Because all the cases of fundamental rights of the citizens are heard by the judges of the high court. They act as the final appellate court. The Constitution has given many powers to the High Court Judges. If this institution can be destroyed, then any government that comes in will have a free space to commit all kinds of human rights violations and this is what has been done for the last 15 years.
Asif Nazrul said, there are many examples of what has happened in the name of appointment of judges in the high court. A judge appointed to the High Court who failed the lower court examination; A person who failed the university entrance examination became a judge. Terrible things have happened. In the past, he said, there have been exclusions not for efficiency, but for political reasons. A form of servitude for two years (until permanent).
Supreme Court Bar Association President Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon questioned the dual citizenship of some judges. He drew the attention of the legal advisor about what steps can be taken in their regard.
Barrister Sara Hossain welcomed the call for applications from those interested in becoming judges. He demanded appointment of equal number of judges from Supreme Court lawyers and district judges.
Senior lawyer Nitai Roy Chowdhury has argued in favor of not keeping the President of the Supreme Court Bar in the proposed Supreme Judicial Appointments Council. He disagreed with the 45-year time limit for becoming a judge.
Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua advocated not to include the Supreme Court Bar President, Attorney General and any professor in the proposed Supreme Judicial Appointments Council. He suggested that one-third of the appointment should be made from district judges and that the age limit for appointment of judges should be kept at 40 years instead of 45 years.
Former District and Sessions Judge Shahjahan Saju asked to drop the two-year term as additional judge. He suggested appointing 60 percent of the district courts to the high courts.
President of the Judicial Service Association. Amirul Islam said that the professional council should be kept out of the judicial appointment process to keep it free from political influence.
The Secretary General of the Judicial Service Association, Muhammad Mazharul Islam proposed to make the age of appointment of judges 50 and not to keep any third category in education.
Judge Miftah Uddin Chowdhury and Justice Shamim Hasnain, Attorney General of the High Court gave their opinion in the meeting. Asaduzzaman, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Senior Advocate Zainul Abedin, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal, Barrister Ehsan A Siddique, Professor Borhan Uddin Khan and others.
