Leave to appeal seeks cancellation of HC verdict upholding quota

The state side has filed a leave to appeal against the High Court’s verdict declaring the circular canceling the quota system in the first and second-class government jobs illegal.

Leave to appeal has sought the cancellation of the High Court verdict.

The leave to appeal was filed with the concerned branch of the Appellate Division on Tuesday (July 16).

Earlier on July 10, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court issued a status quo for one month on a High Court order that had reinstated the quota system in first and second-class government jobs.

A five-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan passed the order after hearing two petitions filed by the state and two Dhaka University students regarding the quota system’s reformation.

The court also directed the state to submit a leave to appeal against the High Court’s order within four weeks and urged protesting students to return to their classes, said Advocate Jahirul Islam, who represented the students.

Earlier, two quota protestors filed an application with the Appellate Division seeking a stay on the High Court’s order reinstating the freedom fighter quota in public service.

The quota system, which reserved 56 per cent of positions in government jobs for various quotas, was abolished in 2018. This decision was challenged in 2021 by descendants of freedom fighters, leading to a High Court ruling on June 5, 2024, declaring the abolition of the freedom fighters’ quota illegal.

In response, the government applied to the Chamber Court of the Appellate Division to suspend the order. On July 4, a six-judge bench led by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan temporarily upheld the High Court’s verdict and instructed the state to file a leave-to-appeal once the full verdict is published, adjourning the case hearing.