HC ruling opens path to restore democratic system

Staff Reporter :

Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN), has welcomed the High Court’s decision to strike down key provisions of the 15th amendment, which had annulled the non-party caretaker government system.

Calling it a major step toward reviving democracy, he expressed hope for meaningful reforms in the country’s electoral process.

On Tuesday, the High Court ruled articles 20 and 21 of the 15th amendment unconstitutional, arguing that these provisions undermined the Constitution’s basic structure.

Articles 7A and 7B, which were also introduced by the 15th amendment, were similarly annulled. These changes, enacted during the Awami League government on June 30, 2011, and gazetted on July 3, 2011, sparked long-standing debates over electoral integrity.

The verdict follows a writ petition filed on August 18, 2011, by five prominent individuals, including Badiul Alam Majumdar, The petition challenged the validity of the 15th amendment, arguing it conflicted with democratic principles. Over time, political parties like BNP, Gono Forum, and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami joined the case as interveners.

Reacting to the judgment, Badiul Alam Majumdar described it as a “historic and groundbreaking ruling.” He said the court’s decision reopens a vital path toward democracy but emphasized that the outcome depends on political will and collective accountability.