HC to hear opinion of amici curiae on Hindu inheritance law

The High Court on Sunday sought to hear opinions of amici curiae (friends of the court) on the provision of a law barring Hindu women from inheriting paternal property, reports UNB.

The bench of justice Mamnoon Rahman and Khandaker Diliruzzaman passed the order during a hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard.

The amici curiae of the court are attorney general AM Amin Uddin, senior advocate Prabir Niyogi, senior advocate Subrata Chowdhury and senior advocate Md Kamrul Haque Siddiqui.

Apart from them, the court will also hear the opinions of lawyer Tapan Chakraborty, who conducts civil cases on inheritance of followers of Sanatan religion and journalist Pulak Ghatak, general secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Law Reform Committee.

The court also made five human rights organisations complementary petitioners for the writ to hear their opinion in this regard.

The organisations are- Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), Manusher Jonno Foundation, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad and Naripokkho.

As there are constitutional questions involved with the writ, HC sent the documents to the Chief Justice requesting to form a larger bench to hear it.

The larger bench will hear the opinions of amici curiae and the five organisations, said barrister Khayrul Alam Chowdhury, lawyer presenting the petitioner's side.

On 13 February, Ananya Das Gupta, daughter of late Ashok Das Gupta filed the writ petition at the High Court challenging the legality of the provision on Sanatan Hindu religion follower women not receiving any share of inherited assets from father.

On 14 February, the court issued a rule in this regard.

Eight respondents including the cabinet division secretary, law, justice and parliamentary affairs secretary, religious affairs secretary and Hindu Religious Welfare Trust were asked to reply to the rule within a week.