Rejecting the petition moved by Additional Attorney General Barrister Fida M Kamal, chamber judge Amirul Kabir Chowdhury asked him to file a regular leave-to-appeal application seeking to overturn the HC rulings.

On Thursday, the High Court delivered the judgment upon a writ petition filed by former minister and Jatiya Party lawmaker Anwar Hossain Manju.

The writ had challenged constitutional validity of the government notification issued on November 12, 2001, a month after the four-party coalition government came to power, empowering ministers and others with charge of different districts to take care of development work and law and order in respective areas.

The Cabinet Division issued the gazette notification appointing 62 cabinet ministers, advisers to ministries, chief whip, state ministers, whips and deputy ministers to discharge additional responsibilities in 62 districts.

In support of his plea, Additional AG Fida M Kamal told the court that the rights and privileges of the members of parliament had not been curtailed by giving the responsibility to the cabinet ministers, advisers, chief whip, state ministers, whips and deputy ministers.