ISLAMABAD: In the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision against Punjab Assembly Deputy speaker’s ruling, the federal government on Wednesday decided to curtail the apex court’s jurisdiction on suo motu notices and powers of the chief justice to constitute benches among others.
The federal cabinet met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and decided to legislate on the Supreme Court powers and jurisdiction.
After the meeting, while speaking to the media, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that a parliamentary committee will be formed on “judicial reforms.”
The move came after the devastating blow to the nascent Shehbaz Sharif-led ruling coalition, as the Supreme Court struck down Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari’s ruling on the election of Punjab chief minister, paving the way for PTI’s selected Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi to ascend to the throne in the country’s political heartland.
In the conclusion to a hearing that gripped the country for the past four days, a three-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar, announced an unusually harsh verdict after over a three-hour delay on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Supreme Court Bar Association, High Court Bars of all provinces, Pakistan Bar Council, and members and nominated members of Judicial Commission have also demanded to limit the powers of Supreme Court in their joint resolution.
They said that Article 175A and Article 209 of the Constitution should be amended so that the forum for appointment and removal of judges can be one and judges, bar, administration and parliament are all equally represented in it.
The lawyers said that the parliament should amend Article 175 (2) and 191 of the Constitution, abolishing the chief justice’s blanket authority in forming the benches, fixing the date of the cases and taking suo motu notices and give these powers to five most senior judges of the top court.
