FROM PARLIAMENT: The much-talked-about the 16th Amendment to Constitution Bill passed on Wednesday for empowering Jatiya Sangsad to impeach the Supreme Court judges for misconduct or incapacity. 

Law, Justice and Parliament Affairs Minister Anisul Haq placed the bill before the House and it was passed in voice-vote in the parliament after a long discussion on the bill.

Opposition leader Rowshan Ershad suggested taking public opinion about the bill and other leaders also said to justify again the bill.

However, Jatiya Party Chairman Hussain Muhammad Ershad also did some amendment in the bill.

The Sangsad leader, also Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was present while placing the bill in the House.

Earlier, the bill was sent to the parliamentary standing committee on law ministry for vetting on September 9.

After the justification president of the committee placed the bill on Sunday.

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In 1978, the then President Ziaur Rahman repealed it and empowered a Supreme Judicial Council through the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution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

BDST: 2320 HRS, SEP 17, 2014