Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has reinstated the long-debated non-partisan caretaker government system for overseeing national elections, overturning parts of the 15th constitutional amendment that had abolished it in 2011. The verdict was delivered by a seven-member Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed after ten days of hearings. However, constitutional experts and senior lawyers clarified that the upcoming 13th parliamentary election, expected by February, cannot be held under this system due to procedural and constitutional constraints. They indicated that the caretaker mechanism could only apply from the 14th general election onward. The ruling follows a 2023 High Court decision that declared sections 20 and 21 of the 15th amendment unconstitutional, paving the way for the system’s return. Legal representatives from various political parties, including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, participated in the hearings, while the Attorney General represented the state. The decision marks a significant shift in Bangladesh’s electoral framework and political landscape.