Alleged misconduct: SJC to proceed further against LHC judge

Decision comes after judge filed response to show-cause notice

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Judicial Council has decided to take further action against a judge of the Lahore High Court for his alleged misconduct.

Last month on April 19, the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) had issued show cause notices to two Lahore High Court (LHC) judges after a complaint of misconduct was filed against them.

Sources told The Express Tribune that one of the judges has been sent a fresh notice for further proceedings in his case.

“That [notice] shows the council is not satisfied with his reply over the show-cause notice, therefore, it has decided to proceed further against him,” a senior lawyer explained.

The lawyer further offered that keeping in view the fresh notice, the judge in question may opt to resign from his post.

The other LHC judge, however, has already moved the Supreme Court against the show-cause notice issued by the SJC under sub-para (1) of para 9 of the SJC’s procedure of enquiry 2005 for alleged misconduct.

The SC registrar had initially returned the petition after raising four objections over the plea. But later a three-judge bench of apex court, headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim, on May 11 overruled the registrar’s objections and directed the office to not only entertain the plea but also fix a case before bench.

Meanwhile, The Express Tribune has learnt that the two LHC judges in question have voluntarily stopped their professional work and are not currently hear cases.

Lahore High Court Bar Association president Rana Zia confirmed that both LHC judges are not sitting on the benches.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2016.