Article 22 Challenges by the accused

The warrant convening the court and the names of the officers nominated to try the accused shall be read to him.

An accused shall state the names of any persons comprising the court to whom he objects.

If more than one person is objected to, the objection to each shall be disposed of separately and the objection to the lowest in rank shall be disposed of first, except where the president is objected to, in which case the objection to him shall be disposed of before the objection to any other officer.

An accused may make a statement and call any person to make a statement in support of his objection.

A person to whom the accused has objected may state in open court anything relevant to the accused’s objection whether in support or in rebuttal thereof, but shall thereafter take no part in the disposal of the objection.

Any such objection shall be considered in closed court by all the other persons constituting the court.

The court shall give the accused an opportunity to object to a spare member who takes the place of a member of the court, and shall deal with any such objection in accordance with this Order.

If an objection to the president is allowed the court shall report to the convening authority without proceeding further with the trial.

If as a result of the allowance of an objection to a member there are insufficient persons available to form a court in compliance with the Act the court shall report to the convening authority without proceeding further with the trial and the convening authority may either appoint a substitute or convene a fresh court to try the accused.

Neither the prosecutor nor the accused shall have any right to object to the judge advocate or the clerk of the court.