Ashutosh Sarkar

Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain has further administered oath to 18 High Court judges on Saturday night, hours after they were virtually sworn in.

In that process, the recently-regularised HC judges were requested to be physically present at the Supreme Court following traditional way.

Eventually, they took oath in the office room of the chief justice at 9:30pm, SC sources said.

However, judges of the Appellate Division and other judges of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court were not present on the occasion, they said.

SC Registrar General Md Ali Akbar and Spokesman Md Saifur Rahman, who attended the ceremony, could not be reached over cellphone for their comments on this issue despite several attempts.

Contacted, Law Minister Anisul Huq told The Daily Star on Saturday night that Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain had first administered the oath through virtual system as he was physically very sick.

“The chief justice was recently admitted to Combined Military Hospital and was treated there for asthma problems. He got tested for Covid-19, and the result was negative. I have the relevant documents in my hand. Later on, the chief justice felt better and decided to administer the oath in traditional way so that no question can be raised over the oath of the High Court judges,” he said.

The law minister also said, “There was no illegality in such virtual administration of oath considering the present situation.”

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told this correspondent that there is a rule under Article 148 of the constitution for the persons -- who will administer oath and who will take it -- of remaining present at a same place on the occasion.

Now, there is no scope for raising any question about the issue, he said.

Virtual oath was administered to the HC judges due to the ongoing coronavirus situation, the attorney general replied.

Earlier at 3pm on Saturday, Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain administered oath to the 18 High Court judges through video conference.