Bangladesh can't impeach Supreme Court judges

Bangladesh’s Supreme Court in a landmark verdict on Monday declared void a 2014 constitutional amendment empowering parliament to impeach apex court judges, a ruling which the government said could “undermine” the sovereign parliament’s authority.

“By unanimous decision the (government) appeal is dismissed,” chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha pronounced as a seven-member apex court bench unanimously upheld a previous High Court judgement calling the 16th amendment to the constitution illegal.

He said the seven-member apex court bench dismissed the appeal “with some findings” after hearing the arguments for and against the government appeal against the High Court decision for over 11 days.

The verdict came amid a visible conflict between PM Sheikh Hasina’s ruling Awami League government and the Supreme Court over the apex court jurisdiction in disciplining lower judiciary judges.

Attorney-general Mahbebey Alam expressed his “frustration” over the judgement fearing it could undermine the “sovereign parliament's authority”.