Petitions against 26th amendment set for hearing in SC on Oct 7

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has fixed October 7 for the hearing of petitions challenging the 26th Constitutional Amendment, ARY News reported.

According to reports, an eight-member larger bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, will take up the case at 11:30 a.m. in Islamabad.

The bench will also include Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha Malik, Justice Hassan Rizvi, Justice Musarrat Hilali, Justice Naeem Afghan, and Justice Shahid Bilal.

Also Read: After Senate, NA passes 26th constitutional amendment bill

Earlier, the federal government managed to secure two-third majority for the passage of the 26th constitutional amendment in the National Assembly (NA), shortly after it sailed through the Senate.

In the Senate, sixty-five members voted in favour of the constitutional amendment and four against it, while in the National Assembly 225 members supported the amendment and 12 opposed.

The constitution amendment envisages introduction of reforms to the appointment process and tenure of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and establishment of constitutional benches at the Supreme Court, with equal representation from all provinces.

It also provides to establish constitutional benches at the high courts.

The senior-most judge of each constitutional bench will serve as its presiding officer.

Under the constitutional amendment, the term for the Chief Justice of Pakistan has been set at three years.

A 12-member parliamentary committee will nominate the new Chief Justice of Pakistan from a panel of the three most senior judges.

The committee, comprising eight members from the National Assembly and four from the Senate, will propose the name to the Prime Minister, who will then forward it to the President for final approval.

Besides, a Judicial Commission of Pakistan, led by the Chief Justice and including three senior judges, two members each from the National Assembly and Senate, the Federal Minister for Law and Justice, the Attorney General, and a nominee of the Pakistan Bar Council, having not less than fifteen years of practice in the Supreme Court, will be responsible for appointments of the judges of the Supreme Court.

The commission will also monitor judges’ performance and report any concerns to the Supreme Judicial Council.

Supreme Court to hear petitions against 26th Constitutional Amendment on October 7