Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari signed the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Amendment Ordinance 2024. This new law changes how the Supreme Court’s committee is organized. It comes after the previous SC (Practice & Procedure) Act of 2023, which faced criticism from opposition parties for trying to limit the Chief Justice’s power to form benches.
In October 2023, the Supreme Court confirmed that the previous law was constitutional, dismissing challenges against it. Under the new ordinance, a three-member bench will now decide if cases should be taken up suo motu (on their own). This decision-making power was previously held only by the Chief Justice. The amendment also allows people to appeal decisions made in these cases within 30 days.
The information minister explained that cases will now be heard based on when they are filed, and transcripts of court proceedings will be made public to increase transparency. The Chief Justice will lead the committee, which includes the senior puisne judge, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, and another judge from the Supreme Court.
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa has appointed Justice Aminuddin Khan as the third member of this committee. This change aims to speed up court processes and improve efficiency in the judicial system.
