Bill on CJP's suo motu powers sails through Senate

ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Thursday passed the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure), Bill 2023 – aimed at curbing the top judge’s suo motu powers in an individual capacity, amid noisy protests by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf legislators, ARY News reported.

The bill was moved by Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar in the Senate.

The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure), Bill 2023 was adopted by a majority vote of 60-19.

To register their protest and rejection of the bill, PTI senators gathered close to the chairman’s podium during the passage process and kept chanting slogans against the government and the bill. The senators also tore apart copies of the bill.

The bill was passed by Senate after National Assembly on Wednesday unanimously approved the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023.

The bill

Under the new legislation, the decision for suo motu notice will be taken by three senior judges of the Supreme Court (SC).

Moreover, the bill also includes a clause regarding the right to appeal against the decision, which could be filed within 30 days and fixed for a hearing in two weeks.

It added that the party will be allowed to change its lawyer in a suo motu case. Under Article 184, the matter will be presented before a judges committee. The committee will review the case and later form a five-member committee for any kind of constitutional interpretation.

The act will be taken into effect on all verdict of the high courts and the Supreme Court (SC).