The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court will deliver its verdict on Thursday on appeals challenging the High Court judgment that declared parts of the 15th Amendment to the Constitution unconstitutional and void.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, concluded the hearing on the appeals on Wednesday and fixed Thursday for delivering the verdict.
“Hearing is concluded and judgment tomorrow,” the court said in its brief order.
The apex court heard the appeals for three consecutive days from 6 July.
The appeals were filed against the High Court verdict issued on December 17, 2024, which declared several provisions of the 15th Amendment unconstitutional.
The High Court also termed the abolition of the caretaker government system illegal and restored the constitutional provision for holding referendums.
The 15th Amendment was passed by Parliament on 30 June, 2011, during the Awami League government.
The amendment, published through a gazette notification on 3 July of the same year, brought changes to 54 provisions of the Constitution, including the scrapping of the caretaker government system.
The legality of the amendment came under challenge after separate writ petitions were filed before the High Court following the July uprising.
One writ petition was filed by four citizens, including Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SUJON) Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder, while another was filed by Naogaon resident Md Mofazzal Hossain. Jamaat-e-Islami also filed a separate petition through its Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar.
The Appellate Division granted leave to appeal against the High Court verdict on 13 November, paving the way for the appeal hearings.
During the proceedings, Senior Advocate Sharif Bhuiyan represented the petitioners, while Attorney General Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal and Additional Attorney General Barrister Aneek R Haque appeared for the state.
Senior Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir represented Jamaat-e-Islami, and Advocate ASM Shahriar Kabir appeared for another appellant.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was also added as a party to the appeal proceedings.
