The High Court (HC) yesterday issued a rule upon the government asking it to show cause in two weeks as to why the transfer of five senior assistant judges disregarding the opinion of the Supreme Court (SC) should not be declaredillegal.

An HC division bench comprising Justice Md Abdul Matin and Justice AFM Abdur Rahman issued the rule following a writ petition filed by Dr Shahdeen Malik.

Dr Malik in the petition said the government had earlier sought the opinion of the SC on the proposed transfer of 21 senior assistant judges. The SC approved the transfer of 12 but turned down the proposal for the transfer of nine others.

The government then sought reconsideration of the opinion of the SC but it did not approve the transfer of five of the 12 senior assistant judges and the non-approval was communicated to the government on March 13.

The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs however issued a notification on March 22 transferring the five judges disregarding SC opinion, Dr Malik submitted.

The five judges are Begum Umme Habiba, Md Shamsul Alam, Mohammad Shahiduddin, Miah Mahmudur Rahim andAKM Mostakinur Rahman.

Meanwhile, the same HC division on Saturday issued another rule upon the government regarding the transfer of three joint district judges and one assistant judge following a writ petition filed on behalf of the four.

The law ministry on March 29 issued transfer orders of joint district judges Mir Shafiqul Alam, Salehuddin Ahmed and AKM Abul Kashem, and Assistant Judge Nirmal Chandra Paul violating the provision of article 116 of the constitution, said the petition.

Former law minister Abdul Matin Khasru and barrister M Moksudul Islam moved the case for the petitioners.