The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Adviser for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and Information Barrister Mainul Hosein yesterday said the government is considering to form a Constitutional Council for processing appointments to constitutional posts in a transparent and accountable manner.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has been proposed to be head of the Constitutional Council comprising nine other members, he said while briefing journalists at the conference room of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs yesterday.He said the proposed council would recommend names of two persons for appointment in the constitutional posts like judges in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court and judges in the High Court, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Election Commissioners, Comptroller and Auditors General, Public Service Commission Chairman and its members and the Ombudsman.

The President will make the appointment for any Constitutional post by choosing one person from a short list, he said.

Justifying the necessity of formation of the Constitutional Council, the Law Adviser said a deadlock was created in the country in the past in respect of the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) as the appointment earlier was made on political grounds.

The Council will evaluate the academic qualifications, professional skills, seniority, honesty and reputation of the persons for appointment to the Constitutional posts. If need be, the Council will invite experts in the concerned field for suggestions, he said.

The Law Adviser said the government is also considering the constitution of Atorney Service to help conduct cases in the court for the government by appointing its atorneys in a fair and impartial manner.

The Adviser said atorneys appointed by the proposed Atorney Service, would not require to be changed with the change of a political government

He said formation of Atorney Service was needed to make the judiciary free from politicisation and discourage party politics among the lawyers.

With the creation of the Atorney Service it would be possible to make the appointment system permanent Training for the atorneys would be arranged and there would also be promotion of atorneys, the Adviser said.

He said the draft of Government Atorney Service Ordinance was already placed before the Council of Advisers and the bill was returned for reconsideration of different aspects.

When his atention was drawn to the appeal of the FBCCI leaders to release the arrested businessmen against whom there was no specific allegation, the Law Adviser said the government might hold a lenient view if accused businessmen admit their crime and agree to return illegally obtained properties to the state.