DHAKA, Mar 17, 2025 (BSS) - A High Court (HC) bench today sent a writ petition that challenged the legality of four sections of the Supreme Court Judges Appointment Ordinance, 2025’ to the Chief Justice as a judge of the bench refused to hold the hearing as he is a member of the Supreme Judicial Council.

Justice AKM Asaduzzaman, presiding judge of the bench, refused to hold the hearing as he is a member of the Supreme Judicial Council, which has been established under the ordinance.

The HC bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain sent the writ petition to the Chief Justice for decision.

On February 26, Supreme Court lawyer Ajmol Hossain filed the writ petition with the High Court challenging the legality of four sections of the ordinance.

He submitted the petition as public interest litigation to the HC stating that sections 3, 4, 6 and 9 of the ordinance are contradictory to the constitution.

Senior lawyers Zainul Abedin, Ahsanul Karim and Mohammad Shishir Manir appeared for the writ petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Nur Mohammad Azmi was present before the court for the state.

The Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry on January 21 issued the ordinance containing the provision for establishing the 7-member Supreme Judicial Appointment Council with the chief justice at its helm in order to select suitable persons for appointing judges to the Appellate and HC Divisions of the SC.