DHAKA: The much-talked-about Constitution (16th Amendment) Bill is set to be passed at the parliament on September 16 for empowering Jatiya Sangsad to impeach the Supreme Court judges for misconduct or incapacity.

The bill was sent to the parliamentary standing committee on law ministry for vetting after the Law, Justice and Parliament Affairs Minister Anisul Haque placed the bill before the House on Sunday (September 8).

On August 18, the cabinet approved the proposal for amendment of constitution. Later, the law minister said the bill would be passed in ongoing session.

Article 96 of the 1972 Constitution allowed parliament to impeach SC judges for proven offenses or incapability by a vote of a two-thirds majority.

In 1978, the then President Ziaur Rahman repealed it and empowered a Supreme Judicial Council through the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution

According to the existing constitutional provision, the Council comprising the chief justice and two other senior most judges of the Appellate Division investigates allegations of misconduct against any judge and recommend necessary steps to the president.

The president then takes steps as per the recommendations.

BDST: 2103 HRS, SEP 08, 2014