CJ Sinha finally quits
Chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha has relinquished his position following weeks of controversies over his leave and going abroad.
SK Sinha submitted his resignation letter to the president on 10 November, the last day of his leave, according to a high official of the government.
The CJ is learned to have submitted the resignation letter through the Bangladesh high commission in Singapore.
The resignation of the country’s chief justice was preceded by harsh criticism of him by a number of cabinet members and members of parliament over the full verdict that cancelled the 16th amendment to the constitution.
Law minister Anisul Huq, who stated on Friday that Sinha would be considered absent from Saturday, said he was not aware of any development relating to quitting of the chief justice.
SK Sinha reached Singapore on Monday night for his treatment. He left Canada from Singapore on Friday. His younger daughter Asha Sinha lives in Canada.
Chief justice SK Sinha left Bangladesh for Australia to stay with his eldest daughter Suchana Sinha on 13 October.
On 2 October, the chief justice applied to president Md Abdul Hamid for a one-month leave that ended on 1 November.
During his leave, the CJ requested the president for extending his leave till 10 November. Accordingly, the CJ’s leave ended on Friday.
On 1 August, the Supreme Court published the full verdict on the annulment of the 16th amendment to the constitution.
The amendment established parliament’s power to remove the SC judges for their misconduct and incapacity but the verdict scrapped such provision.
Cabinet members and ruling Awami League MPs lambasted at the Supreme Court chief justice SK Sinha for some of his observations published in the full verdict. They also demanded his resignation or removal from the post the chief justice.
Meanwhile, after five hours of discussion on 14 September, parliament adopted a proposal to take legal steps seeking annulment of the 16th amendment cancellation order and against some of the observations published in the full verdict.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 18 other MPs took part in the discussion.
Sheikh Hasina said the Supreme Court went beyond its jurisdiction in cancelling the 16th amendment to the constitution that the parliament passed.