The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought detailed reports from the federal and all provincial governments regarding non-functional special courts and tribunals. Earlier, the apex court had taken suo motu notice over various non-functional tribunals and administrative courts in the country in response to a note of the registrar of the Supreme Court which quoted the data gathered from the high courts that identified 20 such federal tribunals and special courts and 19 provincial tribunals and special courts.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had fixed the matter before the court as suo motu action in terms of Article 184 (3) of the Constitution while issuing notices to Attorney General Pakistan and all the provincial law officers in the matter for April 04.
In pursuance of the court notice, appearing before the three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Additional Attorney General Waqar Rana and law officers of Islamabad and all the provinces sought time to file the report in the matter. CJP Mian Saqib Nisar observed that at the moment the court would not say anything about inefficiency over filling in the vacant slots of the special courts and tribunals in the country. After a brief hearing of the case, the bench adjourned the hearing of the suo motu matter for two weeks.
The registrar had mentioned in the note that special courts and tribunals set up under Article 212 of the Constitution included the Federal Services Tribunal, provincial service tribunals, banking courts, consumer rights courts and special courts. He said that these forums are an important component of the administration of justice and play an effective role in the overall governance system. He said that such tribunals and special courts are essential for providing remedy to aggrieved persons.
However, the registrar pointed out that people remain unable to get their grievances redressed if functioning of such courts and tribunals is hampered due to the failure of state machinery in filling in the slots that is mandatory to run the affairs in an effective manner.