Dhaka, March 4 -- The High Court (HC) has questioned the legality of the President's power to grant clemency to convicted persons without any guidelines.

It has issued a rule asking the respondents to explain as to why guidelines should not be framed for exercise of the President's power under Article 49 of the Constitution to grant "pardons, reprieves and respites, and to remit, suspend or commute any sentence - passed by any court, tribunal or other authority".

The secretaries of the Cabinet Division, the ministries of law, home and parliament, and the president's office have been asked to comply with the rule within four weeks.

The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury passed the order after hearing a w...