Parliament passes 'justice reforms' bill.

The National Assembly yesterday passed the Supreme Court (PracA!tice and Procedure), Bill 2023, to clip the power of Chief Justice of PakiA!stan (CJP) to take suo motu notice in an indiA!vidual capacity.

The amendments in the bill state that every cause, matter or appeal before the apex court would be heard and disposed of by a bench constituted by a comA!mittee comprising CJP and two senior-most judges. 'The decisions of the committee would be taken by a majority," explains the amended bill. It says, "any matter invoking the use of ArA!ticle 184(3) would first be placed before the committee. If the comA!mittee is of the view that a question of pubA!lic importance with refA!erence to enforcement of any of the fundamenA!tal rights conferred by Chapter I of Part II of the Constitution is inA!volved, it shall constitute a bench comprising not less than three judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan which may also include the members of the committee, for adjudication of the matter.' The committee would compose a bench comA!prising no less than five apex court judges for the task.

On appealing any verdict by an apex court bench which exA!ercised Article 184(3)'s jurisA!diction, the bill said that the apA!peal will lie within 30 days of the bench's order to a larger SC bench. It added that the appeal would be fixed for hearing withA!in a period not exceeding 14 days. It added that this right of appeal would also extend retroA!actively to those aggrieved per-sons against whom an order was made under Article 184(3) prior to the commencement of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure), Bill 2023, on the condition that the appeal was filed within 30 days of the act's commencement.

Furthermore, 'an application pleading urgency or seeking inA!terim relief, filed in a cause, apA!peal or matter, shall be fixed for hearing within 14 days from the date of its filing.'

The bill said that its provisions would have effect notwithstandA!ing anything contained in any other law, rules or regulations for the time being in force or judgeA!ment of any court, including the SC and high courts. The lawmakA!ers from both sides of aisle were not against the legislation.

Speaking on the amendments of the bill, Chairman PPP and Foreign Minister Bilawal BhuA!tto Zardari commented in the house that former chief jusA!tice Iftikhar Chaudhary imA!posed 'judicial dictatorship' in the country. He blamed Imran Khan's government for pushing the country towards default.

He said...