Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial urged the government to consult the Supreme Court on any judiciary-related legislation during a hearing on the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023, aimed at limiting the CJP’s suo moto powers. The bench, comprising eight members and led by CJP Bandial, proposed that the federal government consider the court’s views when legislating on judicial matters. The CJP also suggested alternatives to referring matters to Parliament: working jointly or separately. The hearing was adjourned until next week.
Ahead of the hearing, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) submitted its response to the apex court’s notice, requesting the petitions be dismissed, as the Act wouldn’t affect the judiciary’s independence. Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) petitioned the top court to declare the Act as ultra vires to the Constitution, stating it infringed on the judiciary’s independence.
The contentious Act, which regulates the powers of the CJP, was passed by Parliament on April 10 and later challenged in the Supreme Court, leading to the suspension of its implementation. The court will continue to examine the Act’s constitutionality.
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