Judges' appointment: CRC approves SC recommendations

Committee will table 19th amendment for approval of recommendations during NA session starting on December 22.

ISLAMABAD: The Constitutional Reforms Committee (CRC), on Friday, unanimously approved all the recommendations of the Supreme Court (SC) regarding the appointment of judges.

The committee meeting was chaired by Senator Raza Rabbani. It recommended that the name of a judge will be sent to the president via the prime minister for final approval.

According to the recommendations, the parliamentary committee for judges appointment will have eight National Assembly members and four of the Senate. In case the national assembly is dissolved, the Senate members will finalise names of the judges. Three out of four members of the Senate will be able to accept or reject the name of a judge for a post.

The reforms committee has decided to table the 19th amendment for the approval of the recommendations during the National Assembly session starting on December 22. It has also formed a six member sub committee to finalise the draft of the 19th amendment.

The apex court last month asked the parliament to change a two-pronged criterion for judges’ appointment devised by the committee by inserting a new article (175-A) into the 18th constitutional amendment.

Accordingly, the government revived the Parliamentary Committee of Constitutional Reforms to undertake the task.

After initial meetings earlier this month, the committee decided to explore various options to ‘accommodate’ the Supreme Court order, including introducing a 19th amendment or passing a resolution in a joint sitting of the National Assembly and the Senate.

The Supreme Court, in its interim order, had asked the parliament to amend the mechanism for judges’ appointment in a way that it gives the chief justices the final say in nominating judges.