Why won’t ‘suspension’ provision in Public Services Act be revoked: High Court
The court asked the people concerned to reply to the rule within four weeks
The High Court on Sunday issued a rule, asking why Section 39(1) of the Public Services Act 2018 will not be declared illegal and unconstitutional and cancelled thereby.
The particular section of the law allows the state to suspend its employees during an investigation against them over irregularities.
A High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Mostafizur Rahman issued the rule after a primary hearing of a writ petition filed challenging legality of the section.
The court ordered law ministry secretary, National Board of Revenue chairman, the VAT commissioner and assistant commissioner (administration) of Rangpur VAT Zone and others concerned to reply to the rule within four weeks.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan and Barrister Razu Mia moved the writ in the court while Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder stood for the state.
On May 15, Rafiqul Islam, an upper division assistant of the National Board of Revenue (Kurigram Circle), was suspended as a probe was on over his alleged money embezzlement through cheque forgery in his previous work station in Panchagarh.
Later, Rafiqul filed a writ petition with the High Court, challenging the suspension order. The provision of suspension in the law was also challenged in the writ.