DHAKA: Supreme Court’s Chamber Judge sent to the full bench the government petition seeking stay on the High Court order that annulled the Contempt of Court Act, 2013 declaring it illegal.

Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order on Sunday and the hearing will be held on October 3.

The petition was filed earlier in the day, said Advocate Monzil Morshed.

He said secretaries to cabinet, President’s Office, PMO, Law ministry and Parliament Secretariat are among the petitioners.

On Thursday, HC declared “void and unconstitutional” the contempt of court law that gives some protection to journalists and government officials, saying the law curtails court’s constitutional powers to deal with contempt cases.

Provisions of the Contempt of Court Act-2013 are discriminatory since those give protection to a section of people, the HC said in a judgment.

Every citizen is equal in the eye of law as per the constitution, it observed.

The HC gave the verdict upon a writ petition filed by two Supreme Court lawyers challenging the legality of eight provisions of the contempt of court law, which exempted journalists and government officials from contempt charges.

The parliament enacted the law on February 19 this year.

BDST: 1530 HRS, SEP 29, 2013
AKA/ADB