The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has scheduled May 8 for the hearing of four review petitions filed by a political party and six individuals seeking a reconsideration of the verdict that annulled the caretaker government system.
A three-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Senior Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam, set the date on Sunday.
Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman and Additional Attorney General Anik R Haque represented the state, while Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol and Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir appeared for the petitioners.
On December 17, 2024, the High Court declared several provisions of the 15th Amendment to the Constitution invalid, including the abolition of the caretaker government system.
With this ruling, the nonpartisan election-time caretaker government system now has a pathway for reinstatement after nearly 13 years.
The 15th Amendment Bill was passed by the National Parliament on June 30, 2011, and received presidential assent on July 3, 2011.
Following a landslide victory in the ninth parliamentary election, the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League passed the amendment, which faced widespread criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups.
The amendment allowed three successive national elections to be held under an Awami League-led partisan government, sparking allegations of irregularities and undermining their credibility.
For almost a decade, the BNP and other major political parties have demanded the reinstatement of the caretaker government system to ensure free, fair, and credible elections.
However, the ruling Awami League, which held state power for the past 15 years, consistently rejected these demands.
The High Court’s recent verdict, delivered during the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus, has now rendered key provisions of the 15th Amendment, including the abolition of the caretaker government, unconstitutional.
