The SC on January 21 ordered the government to submit an amended Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) by February 1 to advance separation of the judiciary from the executive.

It also asked the government to correct some 'erroneous' provisions in the four rules for judicial services by the same date.

Everything is ready to promulgate an ordinance for an amended CrPC, sources said.

However, the law adviser yesterday told the press that now the matter of amending the CrPC is at the chief adviser's office.

"The matter would be reviewed further at the advisory council's meeting," he said, adding, "That is why the government will seek two weeks time from the court."

The matter is scheduled for hearing today in the SC.

On January 16, President Iajuddin Ahmed approved the four rules of the judicial services -- Judicial Service Commission Rule 2002, Bangladesh Judicial Service Pay Commission Rule 2002, Bangladesh Judicial Service (Service Constitution, Composition, Recruitment, Suspension, Dismissal and Removal) Rules 2002, and Bangladesh Judicial Service (Posting, Promotion, Leave, Control, Discipline and other Service Condition) Rules 2001.

The rules relevant to separating the judiciary from the executive have been published through gazette notifications.

The much-expected separation of the judiciary now requires only an amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) as per the 12-point directive of the Supreme Court (SC) given in 1999.

On January 21, the SC said it had detected some errors in the rules and those need to be corrected.

The court also asked the attorney general to minutely re-examine the rules, get rid of the flaws and issue a gazette notification on the amended CrPC.