JCP invites nomination for judges appointments to high courts

ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) invited nominations for the appointment of 38 additional judges to the five high courts across the country, ARY News reported.

According to the notification, the commission has sought nominations for 12 additional judges for the Sindh High Court, four for the Islamabad High Court, 10 for the Lahore High Court, nine for the Peshawar High Court, and three for the Balochistan High Court.

The move comes as the JCP finalised new rules for appointing judges to the superior judiciary, which include input from parliament members and judges.

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan is responsible for appointing judges to the Supreme Court and high courts, ensuring that the appointments are made based on merit and in accordance with the Constitution.

Earlier, Supreme Court’s Justice Mansoor Ali Shah in another letter to the Judicial Commission gave his overall opinion over the rules with regard to appointment of judges.

Justice Shah in his letter to the Secretary Judicial Commission has opposed getting report from the intelligence agency in judges’ appointment. “The role to the intelligence agency in appointment of judges can be misused,” Justice Mansoor Ali Shah writes.

“Already the executive enjoying majority in the judicial commission. I have already clarified my position with regard to the 26th Amendment,” Justice Shah said.

He suggested constitution of the full court to review the 26th Amendment. There must be a mechanism of appointment of judges for the constitutional bench, senior supreme court judge said.

“A judge has made how many decisions of interpretation of the constitution, can be one of the parameters for posting in the constitutional bench,” he suggested.