Supreme Court Restores Caretaker Government System

The Supreme Court of Bangladesh has delivered a landmark verdict, restoring the non-party caretaker government system and the constitutional provision for referendums.

On Thursday, the Appellate Division upheld a previous High Court ruling that declared several provisions of the Constitution’s Fifteenth Amendment unlawful. The court found that the 2011 abolition of the caretaker system was illegal, effectively reinstating the mechanism intended to oversee neutral national elections.

The restoration of the referendum provision also returns the power to the citizens to vote directly on major constitutional changes. This decision marks a significant shift in Bangladesh’s legal and political landscape, as the caretaker system was originally designed to ensure a level playing field during election transitions.

The ruling comes amid ongoing national discussions regarding electoral fairness and democratic stability. By upholding the High Court's decision, the judiciary has paved the way for a return to interim neutral administrations during future polls.