SC censures govt law officers for truancy at start of important state case
Monday, 17 March 2008
The Supreme Court on Sunday censured government law officers, including the Attorney General, for staying away from the court at the start of an important case that would decide the fate of a great lot of other cases under the emergency rules, reports UNB.
As the court resumed the hearing on government appeal against the High Court judgment having declared illegal its sanction for trying ex-PM Sheikh Hasina in an extortion case under the EPR and set aside the trial proceedings, none of the top aides of the Attorney General office was seen around.
As the truancy of the attorneys defending the government impeded court function, the apex court blasted. A seven-member full hierarchy of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice M Ruhul Amin, asked the government Advocate-on-Record (AoR) to make a proper reply.
"My lord, I have sent a car to fetch the Attorney General and his close aides," AoR Khalequzzaman told the court.
"What you have sent--car or chariot--that we don't want to know... Go, track him down and bring him in by knocking from behind," Chief Justice Ruhul Amin retorted.
As Attorney-General Fida M Kamal, along with Additional Attorney-General Salah Uddin Ahmed, entered the courtroom bowing down their heads, the Chief Justice fulminated: " It has become part of culture for the Office of Attorney General not to be present at court timely."
The chief custodian of the country's judiciary had a word of warning for the Attorney General: "Tell your men to come in court punctually. If it continues further, you will have to pay dearly. The government cannot dictate the timings of the court."
As a result of the hassles, the hearing on the government appeal was delayed by nearly half an hour.
At the outset of the submissions, Additional AG Salah Uddin Ahmed told the court that the impugned High Court judgment was wrong in law as it embarked on an area beyond its jurisdiction while setting aside entire trial proceedings.
As the court resumed the hearing on government appeal against the High Court judgment having declared illegal its sanction for trying ex-PM Sheikh Hasina in an extortion case under the EPR and set aside the trial proceedings, none of the top aides of the Attorney General office was seen around.
As the truancy of the attorneys defending the government impeded court function, the apex court blasted. A seven-member full hierarchy of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice M Ruhul Amin, asked the government Advocate-on-Record (AoR) to make a proper reply.
"My lord, I have sent a car to fetch the Attorney General and his close aides," AoR Khalequzzaman told the court.
"What you have sent--car or chariot--that we don't want to know... Go, track him down and bring him in by knocking from behind," Chief Justice Ruhul Amin retorted.
As Attorney-General Fida M Kamal, along with Additional Attorney-General Salah Uddin Ahmed, entered the courtroom bowing down their heads, the Chief Justice fulminated: " It has become part of culture for the Office of Attorney General not to be present at court timely."
The chief custodian of the country's judiciary had a word of warning for the Attorney General: "Tell your men to come in court punctually. If it continues further, you will have to pay dearly. The government cannot dictate the timings of the court."
As a result of the hassles, the hearing on the government appeal was delayed by nearly half an hour.
At the outset of the submissions, Additional AG Salah Uddin Ahmed told the court that the impugned High Court judgment was wrong in law as it embarked on an area beyond its jurisdiction while setting aside entire trial proceedings.