Bill seeking to curtail CJP’s suo motu powers lands in Senate
ISLAMABAD: Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar on Thursday moved in the Senate the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023, aimed to clip powers of the office of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) to take suo motu notice, ARY News reported.
The opposition PTI resorted to protests after the bill was tabled in the Senate.
The bill was introduced in Senate after National Assembly 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).
