CJ’s resignation proves ‘govt now controls SC’: SCBA president

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Advocate Zainul Abedin today said the resignation of Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha “proved that government has taken the Supreme Court into its control”.

The post of the chief justice has become vacant following the resignation of Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, the SCBA president said.

“Such a situation of vacuum of the chief justice’s post has never taken place in the past,” Advocate Zainul said at a press conference at his SCBA office room this afternoon.

Advocate Zainul, also a BNP leader, said, “Justice SK Sinha had several times observed that the government has brought the lower courts under control. His (Sinha) observation has been proved true following today’s incident [of his resignation].  The government has taken the highest court into its control.”  

He said the chief justice had to step down shouldering many allegations and was “forced to resign” following the Supreme Court verdict in the case on the 16th amendment to the constitution that had empowered the parliament to remove SC judges for incapacity or misconduct.

“We [the lawyers] have confusion about who is coming as the next chief justice in this situation, although Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah, the senior most judge of the Appellate Division, is carrying out the responsibilities of the chief justice,” he said.     

Advocate Zainul added that the incident centering the chief justice in the last few days is a “black clutch on the rule of law”.