ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) by a majority approved an extension in the period of already nominated judges to the Constitutional Benches of the Supreme Court for six months.
The commission also approved the proposed Judicial Commission (Appointment of Judges) Rules, 2024, with certain amendments.
Two sessions of the commission were held at the Supreme Court, Islamabad on Saturday in chair of Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, who is also the chairman of the JCP.
Body posts proposed JCP (Appointment of Judges) Rules, 2024 on website
The commission members with consensus withdrew the names already sent by the chief justices of the respective High Courts for their appointments as additional judges in Lahore High Court and Sindh High Court and sought new names by January 3.
The JCP rejected the condition for medical examination of a candidate to be appointed as an additional judge of the High Court.
However, the members left it at the discretion of the commission whether to seek intelligence agencies’ reports for candidates who would be considered for the appointment as additional judges.
The commission decided that for the appointment of chief justice of High Court three most senior judges’ names will be considered. If the commission decides not to appoint the senior puisne judge as the CJ of the respective High Court it would have to give reasons.
The sources said that Justice Jamal Mandokhail, a member of the JCP, proposed that the Constitutional Bench of Supreme Court and the High Courts comprised on all the judges of the respective Courts. However, the Commission by majority of 7 to 6 decided against the suggestion.
The agenda of these meetings were the consideration of the proposed Judicial Commission of Pakistan (Appointment of Judges) Rules, 2024, and the extension of the period of nomination of Judges to the Constitutional Benches of the Supreme Court.
The first meeting began at 11am and lasted eight hours. The session thoroughly reviewed the draft of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (Appointment of Judges) Rules, 2024.
The commission also considered the public feedback received on the proposed Rules, and after extensive deliberations, approved the proposed Judicial Commission (Appointment of Judges) Rules, 2024, with certain amendments.
In the second meeting, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (Supreme Court), by majority, approved an extension in the period of the already nominated Judges to the Constitutional Benches of the Supreme Court, for a period of six months.
The Rules Committee on December 18 posted proposed Judicial Commission of Pakistan (Appointment of Judges) Rules, 2024, on the official website of the Supreme Court for public comments and feedback.
Chief Justice of Pakistan/ Chairman JCP Yahya Afridi on December 6, 2024 in consultation with Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah constituted a committee, headed by Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and comprising Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan, Senator Ali Zafar, Senator Farooq H Naek and Akhtar Hussain, representative of Pakistan Bar Council, to prepare draft rules for the procedure of judges’ appointment in the superior courts.
Rules 2024 will repeal the Judicial Commission of Pakistan Rules, 2010.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024