Lawyer plans legal battle over abolition of SC secretariat

Lawyer Shishir Manir has condemned the government's move to dissolve the Supreme Court Secretariat and recall judges to the law ministry, branding the action a direct 'contempt of court'.

He announced his plan to launch a fresh legal battle in the High Court if the government completes the dismantling process without filing an appeal by June 7, reports bdnews24.com.

Manir is representing seven lawyers who filed a writ petition challenging the Supreme Court Secretariat (Abolition) Act and seeking a status quo order on the secretariat's operations.

Speaking outside the Supreme Court Annex Building on Wednesday, he noted that he brought the matter to the attention of the relevant bench.

The development follows a law ministry notification issued on Tuesday, which transferred 15 judicial service officers and judges working at the now-defunct Supreme Court Secretariat back to the ministry.

Not a shred of respect had been shown for the court's wishes, Manir said. "This kind of conduct is seriously contemptuous. We have already issued a contempt notice. We will file a contempt petition on this matter [on Wednesday]."

He said he had brought the gazette notification to the attention of the High Court bench led by Justice Ahmed Sohel.

"The court was surprised. Repeatedly surprised, the court asked the deputy attorney general 'you came before us and said you had received the court's preferences that day. The learned attorney general was present himself. So why are you doing all this?'"