Law Minister Anisul Huq today submitted the much-talked-about draft of the rules of the discipline and code of conducts for the lower court judges to Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha.

“I have submitted the draft on lower court judges’ rules to him (chief justice). Now, he will examine it. If he gives consent on the rules after scrutinising, then it will be sent to the president for approval of issuing a gazette notification to this effect,” Law Minister Anisul told The Daily Star.

He, however, refused to disclose the contents of the draft rules.

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Before handing over the draft, the law minister held a meeting with the chief justice at his Supreme Court office in Dhaka this afternoon.

The judiciary was officially separated from the executive in November 2007, but the rules determining the discipline and code of conduct for lower court judges have yet been finalised.

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The government has taken time from the apex court for issuing the gazette notification for 22 times. 

Earlier on July 23, the Appellate Division of the SC gave the government one more week for issuing a gazette notification. Before this, the government got a two-week ultimatum to this end.

The draft of the rules has been submitted as per the directives of the apex court for its revision in light of the 1999 verdict in the Masdar Hossain Case, known as judiciary separation case.