ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa is leading the full court comprising all 15 judges of the Supreme Court to take up today (Monday) a set of nine petitions challenging the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 — a bill that required formation of benches on constitutional matters of public importance by a committee of three senior most judges of the top court.
Headed by CJP Isa, the bench will consist of Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha A. Malik, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Shahid Waheed and Justice Musarrat Hilali.
The previous government of PDM had enacted the law aimed at limiting the powers of the Chief Justice. The legislation deprives the office of the CJP of powers to take suo-moto notice in an individual capacity. Rather, it states that the CJP and the two senior-most judges of the supreme court will decide whether or not to take up a suo-moto. Previously, this was solely the prerogative of the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
Additionally, the law gives the right to file an appeal within 30 days of the judgement in suo-moto cases.
On April 13, an eight-member apex court bench headed by former Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, had suspended the enforcement of the law. It is likely that the court proceedings would be streamed live.
