Shafique urges all to uphold dignity of constitution

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed Friday urged the people to uphold the dignity of country's constitution, reports BSS. Those who say that there is a constitutional vacuum in the country is not correct, he said speaking as the chief guest at the 16th Annual District Convention of Lions Club International, District- 315 at a city hotel. The constitution that has been reprinted as per the verdict of the Supreme Court (SC) scrapping the fifth amendment, is the constitution of the country at present, he said. Bhutanese Parliament Speaker Lyonpo Jigme Saltim, Lions Club International, District-315 Governor AKM Rezaul Haq, Council chairpersons Khandakar Abu Ashfaq and Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, and Convention Committee chairperson Nikhil Chandra Guha also addressed the function, said an official release. The law minister said the SC verdict has scrapped the changes made in the constitution through military proclamations and the constitution has been reprinted in the light of that verdict. He said the special parliamentary committee on constitution amendment is working to make the constitution time-befitting. After reviewing opinions of political parties, legal experts, media personalities and others, the committee will submit its recommendations before the parliament, he added. Barrister Shafique said the present government has taken various programmes for the development of the poor, expansion of education and health services and reducing environmental pollution. He urged the voluntary organisations and people of all professions and classes to extend their cooperation to those programmes. Later, replying to a question the law minister said BNP did not join the talks on constitution amendment, though they were invited. The door is still open to them, he added.