President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Amendment Ordinance 2024 to amend the law affecting the top judge’s powers of bench formation, as reported by Radio Pakistan. This amendment comes after the Supreme Court upheld the SC (Practice & Procedure) Act, 2023 in October 2023.
The new law, passed by parliament in April 2023, mandates a three-member bench, including the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the two most senior judges, to decide on taking up a matter suo motu. This detracts from the sole authority of the CJP and allows for appeals within 30 days in suo motu cases.
The information minister emphasized that these changes aim to benefit the public and improve transparency within the judicial process. Tarar highlighted the prioritization of hearing the first case that lands in court, as well as the provision of transcripts for each case. The ordinance also redefined the composition of the Supreme Court committee responsible for bench formation.
This move has been viewed as an effort to streamline the judicial system and address concerns regarding the chief justice’s power. By making proceedings more accessible and accountable, the government hopes to strengthen public trust in the judiciary.