HC questions legality of 15th amendment

The High Court has issued a ruling questioning the legality of the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, asking why it should not be declared illegal.

The ruling was issued on Monday, August 19, by the bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Shashanka Shekhar Roy.

The Fifteenth Amendment, passed on June 30, 2011, and signed into law on July 3, 2011, introduced several significant changes to the Constitution.

Among its provisions, it abolished the caretaker government system and mandated that general elections be held under a partisan government within 90 days before the end of the parliamentary term, with the parliament remaining in place during the elections.

Additionally, the amendment reinstated secularism and religious freedom in the Constitution and re-established nationalism, socialism, democracy, and secularism as state principles. It also officially recognised Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the Father of the Nation and increased the number of reserved seats for women in the National Parliament from 45 to 50.

Further, the amendment introduced Article 7(a) and 7(b) after Article 7 in the Constitution, aimed at preventing the usurpation of state power through extra-constitutional means. The bill was passed with a significant majority of 291-1 votes, amidst a boycott by the opposition BNP.