Number of judges SCBA to convey judiciary’s concerns to NA speaker

Body’s chief says elevating high court judges will cause crises

ISLAMABAD: The bar association of the top court will convey to parliament the judiciary’s concerns regarding the increase in the number of the court’s judges.

A senior member of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) told The Express Tribune that the body’s president, Ali Zafar, would meet NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to convey the judiciary’s concerns about increasing SC judges from 17 to 26.

On January 18 the Senate had unanimously passed a bill regarding the increase in the number of judges of the apex court to provide speedy and inexpensive justice to the people. Soon the bill will be presented before the lower house of parliament.

The move was based on the Economic Survey 2014-15, which stated that the country’s population had risen to 191.7 million while the strength of the top court’s judges was only 17.

The Senate’s committee of the whole, therefore, proposed enhancing the number of judges from 17 to 26 after consultations with stakeholders.

Expressing concerns over the move, however, the SCBA president said he had suggested that parliament increase only two permanent seats of SC judges. But the legislative body is increasing nine seats.

Zafar confirmed that a delegation of the bar association would meet the NA speaker this week to convey the judiciary’s concerns.

He believes that if all the senior judges of the high courts were to be elevated to fill vacant seats, crises might emerge in those courts. “Similarly, competent lawyers are unwilling to serve as SC judges.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Vice-Chairman Farogh Nasim suggested increasing the number of high court judges instead of judges of the top court. He has already threatened to challenge any legislation aimed at increasing the strength of the apex court’s judges if done without taking the SC and the PBC into confidence.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 24^th, 2016.