Govt publishes gazette on judges’ disciplinary rules, finally

The government, at long last, has issued the gazette notification on the disciplinary rules for the lower court judges.

The Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry published the gazette Monday afternoon.

Confirming the information, Public Relations Officer Dr Rezaul Karim of the ministry said the gazette was published in consultation with the Supreme Court and following the President’s consent.

Earlier in the day, Law Minister Anisul Huq said the gazette would be published within few moments.

"All the suggestions of the Supreme Court were taken into considerations," the minister said.

Talking about some previous conflicts between the judiciary and the executive, the minister said there was enough drama with the disciplinary rules. But now, he said, there is no conflict between the departments.

"The process was delayed as a person tried to politicise it," he said.

UNB said the lower judiciary was officially separated in November 2007 but the disciplinary rules for lower court judges had not been formulated.

On December 2, 1999, the Supreme Court in the Masdar Hossain case issued a seven-point directive, including formulating separate disciplinary rules, for the lower court judges.

The Law Ministry on May 7, 2015 sent a draft of the rules to the Supreme Court which was similar to the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules 1985.