Election duties by judicial officers: NJPMC weighing options to discontinue practice

In its pursuit to separate judiciary from the executive, the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC) is weighing options to discontinue the practice of assigning election duties to judiciary. With an aim to ensure speedy justice, eliminate corruption and ensure independence of the judiciary, the NJPMC met under the chairmanship of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Saturday.
Addressing the meeting Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry also hinted at withdrawing judicial officers in general or Local Bodies Elections, saying no such duty is assigned to them under the respective laws. 'Performing such duty brings bad name to the judiciary as some of the candidates contesting the local bodies elections are found indulged in the activities prejudicial to the orderly conduct of election or the executive staff involved in rigging.
Although the judicial officers on duty during election are not privy to the nefarious designs of some of the contesting candidates and their supporters but they are blamed by some quarters for the candidate's acts. The committee, therefore, will decide the issue not to assign election duties to judicial officers during elections, said Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.
The Chief Justice said that general public had pinned high hopes on the judiciary and were curiously awaiting to receive justice without any delay from courts. But, he said, speedy disposal of cases must not defeat the very purpose of justice and the justice should be seen in every nook and corner of the country.
]He also urged the legal fraternity to cooperate with courts and do not take unnecessary adjournments for prolonging the cases. The Chief Justice also enquired from the Chief Justices of the High Courts regarding repatriation of the judicial officers working on executive posts such as Works Division, Establishment Division, Law Departments, National Assembly and Senate, etc.
He was informed that all such judicial officers have been issued directives to report to duty at once in the high courts for further posting in the judiciary. The meeting was attended by Justice Haziqul Khairi, Chief Justice, Federal Shariat Court; Justice Tariq Parvez Khan, Chief Justice, Peshawar High Court; Justice Amanullah Khan, Chief Justice, High Court of Balochistan; Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Chief Justice, High Court of Sindh; Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif, Chief Justice, Lahore High Court and Dr Faqir Hussain, Secretary, National Judicial Policy Making Committee.
Earlier, the Secretary NJPMC presented a report regarding comments received on the draft judicial policy from the judges of superior courts including Provincial High Courts, Federal and Provincial Law Departments, Attorney General for Pakistan, Provincial Advocate Generals, Public Prosecutor, Chairmen & Vice Chairmen, Bar Councils, District Bar Associations, I G Prisons, I G Police, prominent senior advocates and individuals.