Mobile courts can operate till May 18

The Supreme Court yesterday stayed until Thursday the High Court verdict that declared unconstitutional the rules under which the executive magistrates run mobile courts.

Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order following a petition filed by the government seeking stay on the HC verdict.

The chamber judge also sent the stay petition to the full bench of the Appellate Division for its hearing on Thursday.

Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Motaher Hossain Sazu told The Daily Star that the executive magistrates could run mobile courts until Thursday following the SC judge's order.

Earlier in the day, the government filed a petition with the SC seeking a stay on the HC verdict.

Delivering a verdict on three writ petitions on May 11, the HC declared unconstitutional the rules under which executive magistrates run mobile courts.

It also observed that empowering executive magistrates with judicial powers is “a frontal attack on the independence of the judiciary and is violative of the theory of separation of powers”.