HC sets July 7 hearing on speaker administering presidential oath

The High Court has scheduled a hearing for July 7 to examine the controversial provision in the Fifteenth Amendment that allows the Speaker, instead of the Chief Justice, to administer the oath to the President.

A two-judge bench, led by Justice Shashanka Shekhar Sarkar and Justice K.M. Zahid Sarwar, set the date during Monday’s session.

The case began when lyricist Shahidullah Faraji filed a writ petition on March 10, demanding the restoration of the original 1972 constitutional rule that the Chief Justice must administer the presidential oath. The High Court issued a rule after the initial hearing on March 11.

The petition challenges whether the Fifteenth Amendment’s change conflicts with the original constitution and whether this part of the amendment should be struck down entirely. Law Secretary, Cabinet Division Secretary, and Supreme Court Registrar General have been asked to respond.

Lawyer Omar Faruk represented the petitioner today, with Deputy Attorney General Mohammad Mehedi Hasan appearing for the government. Faruk noted that the hearing date was set as responses to the rule are still pending.

The court will take up the matter on July 7.