The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a High Court verdict declaring key provisions of the Constitution's 15th Amendment unconstitutional, restoring the constitutional provisions for a non-party caretaker government and referendum.
A four-member Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, delivered the verdict after rejecting the appeals filed against the High Court judgment.
Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal said the apex court dismissed the appeals filed by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and others, effectively affirming the High Court's ruling.
The Appellate Division had reserved its judgment after concluding a three-day hearing on Wednesday and fixed July 9 for pronouncing the verdict.
During the hearing, Attorney General Kazal represented the state, senior lawyer Dr. Sharif Bhuiyan appeared for the writ petitioners, and senior lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir represented Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
The case originated from the High Court's judgment delivered on December 17 last year, which declared unconstitutional the provisions of the 15th Amendment that abolished the non-party caretaker government system and removed the constitutional requirement for holding referendums.
With Thursday's verdict, the Appellate Division upheld the High Court's decision, restoring the constitutional provisions relating to the caretaker government and referendum.
