Members of Turkey's Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) resigned on Monday after discussions on the structure of the board, Anadolu Agency reported.
Deputy chairman of the board, Kadir Ozbek, said his colleagues and he decided to resign as they thought that it was useless to be a member of a structure, the agenda of which was uncertain, which could not hold a meeting or make decisions, and which was prevented from expressing its views.
Suna Turkoglu, Musa Tekin, Orhan Cem Erbuk, Fatma Anil Genc, Hatice Ceyda Kerman and Ayse Albayrak Dogan were the other members of the board who resigned together with Kadir Ozbek.
"Making the board a matter of discussion is harming not only the board but also the society, law and legal institutions," Ozbek told a press conference in Ankara.
Ozbek said the board could not actually perform its duties since August 17, and had notified in verbal and written the Justice Ministry about this situation but could not get any result so far.
"We have decided to resign from our posts since it is useless to continue being a member of a structure, the agenda of which is uncertain, which cannot hold a meeting or make decisions, and which is prevented from expressing its views," Ozbek said.
Ozbek said the members of the board decided to resign before the new members of the board were elected on October 17 to evade polemics.
During the constitutional amendment process, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin and HSYK often confronted each other. Particularly members of the HSYK said the new structure of the board, as foreseen in the constitutional amendments, were against the independence of justice.
Around 57.88 of people who joined September 12th referendum on constitutional amendments voted "yes" and 42.12 percent rejected the package, also changing the structure of the HSYK.
With the amendment, the permanent members of the board have climbed to 22 from 7, and the number of its associate members has risen to 12 from 5.
They will be elected for four years, and can be re-elected after their terms in office end. The head of the board will continue to be the justice minister.
Ozbek had earlier stated that they could resign to show their reaction.
The resigned members of the board will return to their posts in the Supreme Court of Appeals and the Council of State as of Monday.