DHAKA, Dec 16: The Bangladesh High Court on Thursday asked the government and the anti-corruption commission to explain within three weeks why the formation of the commission should not be declared illegal.

This is the third notice sent to the government and the anti-corruption body to explain the legality of the formation of the commission and also the selection criteria for its members.

The court passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Sayeedur Rahman Khan, an advocate of the Supreme Court.

Pleading for the petitioner, his counsel told the court that the commission was formed last year in violation of two major provisions of the anti-corruption commission act.

According to the act, the president has to appoint three members of the commission from a list of six persons recommended by a selection committee.

The six members recommended by the selection committee, said the petitioner, did not include Prof Maniruzzaman Miah. The appointment of Prof Mian by the president was thus illegal, contended the petitioner.

The court had issued an identical notice to the government on Sunday after hearing a writ filed by the same petitioner against the appointment by the president of another member whose name was missing from the selection committee’s list.