Appellate Division Senior Judge Md Abdul Wahab will be the acting CJ till the return of Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha who is expected to go abroad on leave today. A notification was issued by the law, justice and parliamentary affairs ministryin this regard yesterday. According to sources close to the office of the CJ, Sinha is scheduled to go to Australia via Singapore by a Singapore airlines flight tonight. The CJ had written to the President on Tuesday, informing him that he wanted to stay abroad from October 13 to November 10 on health grounds.  The President then signed a government order (GO) on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and law minister Anisul Huq had signed on the GO the same day. The law ministry order signed by the law secretary, Abu Saleh Md Zahirul Haque, stated that the President has granted a 30-day (October 10-November 1) leave. As the CJ wants to stay abroad for some more days, the President has issued the new order, it said.

Justice Md Abdul Wahab Miah will perform duties of the chief justice during CJ Sinha’s extended leave from November 2 to November 10 or until he returned to his office, the order added. The President entrusted the responsibility in accordance with Article 97 of the Constitution. CJ Sinha plans to go to Australia for medical treatment. He and his spouse Sushama Sinha will stay with their elder daughter Suchana Sinha there.

The leave of CJ Sinha, who had become a subject of discussion at different levels following his verdict that scrapped the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, has led to fresh debates in the political arena. The BNP alleged that the CJ was forced to go on leave due to the verdict, while the government claimed that he took the leave on health grounds.