The High Court (HC) on Tuesday issued a rule asking the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) chairman Ghulam Rahman to explain under what authority he has been holding the post of the ACC chairman despite the expiry of his tenure on May 1. It also asked the authorities concerned to explain why all the actions under the capacity of the chairman after the expiry of his tenure should not be declared illegal.
In response to a writ petition, the HC bench comprising Justice Mirza Hossain Haider and Justice Khurshid Alam Sarker also asked the ACC boss to explain why the salary and allowances he received after May 1 should not be deposited to the national exchequer.
The HC bench also fixed Thursday for hearing on the rule.
ACC chairman, cabinet secretary, public administration secretary and ACC secretary have been made respondents to reply to the rule within two days.
Advocate Mirza Al Mahmood, a Supreme Court lawyer, on June 9 filed the petition seeking HC directives upon Rahman to explain under what authority he has been holding the office of the ACC chairman since his tenure expired on May 1.
Earlier on Wednesday, the same lawyer sent a legal notice asking the ACC chairman to quit from his post within two days as his tenure expired.
After sending the notice, Mahmood at a press briefing said that after appointing the ACC chairman the cabinet secretary published a gazette notification on April 30, which was effective from May 2
in 2009.
As per the section 6(3) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, the chairman of the ACC will hold his office for four-year from the date of his appointment.
Mahmood said, according to the section 6(3) of the ACC Act 2004, the tenure of the chairman in any circumstances can not be extended after expiry of four years from the date of his appointment.
-With The Independent input
