HC bars MPs from heading school committees

The High Court today declared illegal the rules that allow lawmakers to hold the chairman posts in governing bodies of non-government schools and colleges.
The HC also scrapped the special governing body of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College led by lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon.
The court however said that the members of existing governing body of the college led by the law maker will hold their post until their tenure expires.
The HC also declared the relevant sections of Non-government School College Governing Body Regulation-2009 that allow the law makers to hold the post of chairman in the governing body of the educational institutions.

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The HC bench of Justice Zinat Ara and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque delivered the verdict following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Eunus Ali Akond challenging the legality of the provision.
He told The Daily Star that the HC scrapped the sections 5 and 50 of Non-government School College Governing Body Regulation-2009 which permits formation of special governing body and the lawmakers to hold the post of chairman.
The law makers cannot hold such post following the HC verdict, he said.

READ more: HC questions Menon-led Viqarunnisa governing body's legality

The special governing body of the school cannot remain in force following the HC verdict, the lawyer added.
He said that the HC asked the authorities concerned of the government to form ad hoc committees of the special governing body of schools and colleges for holding election to form a regular governing body.
On April 13, the HC challenged the legality and issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government to explain in four weeks as to why the Section 5 and 50 of Non-government School College Governing Body Regulation-2009 that allowed lawmakers to hold post of chairman on governing bodies of local school and colleges should not be declared unconstitutional.