Reached a consensus on two aspects of Chief Justice appointment: Ali Riaz

Political parties have reached consensus on amending Article 95 of the Constitution and ensuring that the Chief Justice is appointed from among Appellate Division judges, Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Prof Ali Riaz said on Thursday.

Talking to reporters following the 11th day of second-round talks between the Commission and political parties, held at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital, Ali Riaz said the current Constitution does not place significant restrictions on the President in appointing the Chief Justice.

He, however, said two views have emerged: one in favour of appointing the most senior judge and another suggesting selection from among the two most senior judges.

Ali Riaz said the Commission has decided to continue discussions on this matter.

Prof Riaz also addressed the issue of the declaration of a state of emergency, saying that consensus had been reached during the 7 July talks on two points regarding Article 141(A) of the Constitution: its amendment and ensuring that emergency powers are not misused for political purposes.

The discussion included proposals to remove the provision allowing a state of emergency to be declared in the event of “internal disturbance” and replace the requirement of the Prime Minister’s signature with a provision requiring Cabinet approval.

According to Ali Riaz, both the Commission and political parties believe that this issue must be clearly defined, and further discussion in the coming week will clarify what additional provisions might be added.

On the subject of a caretaker government, Riaz said every political party seeks to establish a system that is as free of flaws as possible and reflects the long-standing aspirations behind ongoing movements and struggles. He noted that further discussions are needed in this regard.

The meeting between the National Consensus Commission and political parties was attended by representatives from 30 political groups, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizens’ Party (NCP), Gano Adhikar Parishad, Ganosamhati Andolon, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Revolutionary Workers’ Party and Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party.