JS can make law to impeach SC judges: Outgoing CJ

---

The outgoing chief justice (CJ) has said parliament can make law to impeach Supreme Court judges, reports bdnews24.com. "Parliament can take the final call on the issue. Parliaments of many other countries have the authority. Parliament can make any law in this regard if it wants to," Justice A B M Khairul Haque said on Tuesday. He took questions from journalists in front of room No 1 while going round different rooms of the Supreme Court building on his last working day. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the meeting with parliamentary special committee on constitution amendment on April 27 was in favour of parliament reserving the right to impeach judges. She asked: "If parliament can impeach the president who appoints judges, why can the judges not be impeached?" Asked for his take on whether the judges can be held to account, Justice Haque said: "Of course the judges are accountable to people. "We have been appointed on people's wish. Because the president appoints us in line with their wish." Justice Haque, however, had disagreed with co-chairman Suranjit Sengupta of the special parliamentary committee on constitution amendment in January on the issue of accountability. He was asked if he believed a one-party rule like the BKSAL government after 1972 will return because of the repeal of Fifth Amendment. "A verdict is delivered only on the part of the case that is disputed. So the period between Aug 15, 1975 and Apr 9, 1979 was mentioned in the judgement. "We didn't say anything beyond that, nor do have authority." The verdict declared illegal three regimes between August 15, 1975 and 1979, headed by Khandaker Mushtaque Ahmed, Abu Sa'dat Mohammad Sayem and Ziaur Rahman. The outgoing Chief Justice also lauded the role of media. "Such monitoring was absent in the past. It's very important. Its continuity needs to be maintained." UNB adds: Referring to the judgment striking off the 13th amendment of the Constitution by the bench headed by him, Justice Khairul said the verdict was in accordance with the law, keeping in mind the present situation, safety of the state and welfare of the people."