16th amendment bill to be passed Wednesday

The 16th Amendment bill will be passed on Wednesday, restoring Parliament’s power to impeach Supreme Court judges. Whip Atiur Rahman Atique informed about the decision on Tuesday afternoon. The bill was tabled in the House by law minister Anisul Huq on Sept 7. It was then forwarded to the Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs for vetting. Committee chairman Suranjit Sengupta, placed the report on the bill during Sunday's session. The amendment pending with Parliament requires that a law be introduced to guide the investigation and gathering of evidence of a judge’s incapability or misconduct. The preamble to the Bill narrates the backgrounds - how the power to remove judges was transferred to the Supreme Judicial Council from Parliament. The parliamentary committee dropped it and maintained that Article 96 of the Constitution was more appropriate and necessary. Law Minister Huq has assured that the law will be formulated within three months of the amendment, according to bdnews24.com.