ACC can dismiss officials without showing reason: SC

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday ruled in favour of the Anti-Corruption Commission (Servants) Service Rules, which allows the commission to dismiss its officials without showing any reason.

According to Section 54 (2) of Anti-Corruption Commission (Servants) Service Rules-2008, the commission can terminate any officer either by issuing 90-day notice or paying 90 days’ salary in cash.

Yesterday, the Appellate Division overturned a High Court verdict that had scrapped the section.

An eight-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique delivered the verdict after allowing an appeal filed by the commission challenging the HC judgement.

Following the SC verdict, the commission can dismiss any of its officials or employees without showing any reason, ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star.

He said such provision is necessary for the ACC, which is a very sensitive institution, in order to control any unruly official.

The lawyer also said former deputy assistant director of ACC Sharif Uddin cannot get his job back following the apex court judgement.

On February 16 last year, the commission sacked Sharif following Section 54(2).

Advocate Salahuddin Dolon appeared for Sharif.