The High Court has directed the government to operate all the closed power plants in the interest of the country and the people.

On Thursday (November 14), the High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury declared this while declaring that impunity in Quick Rental is illegal.

At that time, the court said that the government should take steps to ensure that all the closed power plants could go into production quickly for the sake of the country and the people.

After hearing the ruling, the High Court set the day of judgment on last Thursday, November 7, seeking to know why the exemption in Article 9 of the Quick Rental-related Electricity and Energy (Special Provisions) Act, 2010 should not be declared illegal and unconstitutional. The High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury fixed the day. Dr Shahdeen Malik heard the writ on behalf of the court. Barrister Cynthia Farid was with him.

On September 2, the High Court issued a rule asking why the indemnity granted under Section 9 of the Quick Rental Power and Energy Supply (Special Provision) Act, 2010, should not be declared illegal and unconstitutional.

Earlier, two Supreme Court lawyers filed a writ petition challenging the validity of the indemnity in quick rentals and Section 6(2) regarding purchases in the law.

The writ named the Secretary of the Legislative Drafting Division of the Ministry of Law, the Secretary of the Finance Division, the Secretary of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, the Chairman of Petrobangla, and the Chairman of the Power Development Board as respondents. The rule seeks a declaration on why Sections 6(2) and 9 of the law should not be declared beyond legal authority.