PM advises president to sign 26th constitutional amendment bill into law
- By Web Desk -
- Oct 21, 2024
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sent advice on Monday to President Asif Ali Zardari about signing the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill into law.
The prime minister earlier signed the advice on the said constitutional amendment bill after its passage by both the house of the parliament.
Earlier, the National Assembly and Senate passed the bill with a two-thirds majority under which the term for the Chief Justice of Pakistan has been set at three years.
A 12-member parliamentary committee will select the new Chief Justice from a panel of the three most senior judges.
Following approval from Senate, the National Assembly passed the 26th Amendment Bill in the predawn hours on Monday, 2024, with a majority vote.
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.
Read more: Senate approves long-awaited 26th constitutional amendment bill
The amendment also included provisions related to the Supreme Judicial Council’s composition, ensuring a diverse and robust judicial structure, with the council consisting of the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the two most senior judges of the Supreme Court and the two most senior Chief Justices of the High Courts.