Judges to give one day’s salary to a charity
SHC Chief Justice Musheer Alam makes lots of promises to the judiciary and justice seekers.
KARACHI:
At the first day for work, the new Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Musheer Alam made lots of promises to the judiciary and justice seekers.
He announced that they would set up al Adal Foundation, an organisation to help poor litigants. Other judges will contribute a day’s salary towards this fund while lawyers and other stakeholders will make voluntary contributions.
As he addressed the packed chief justice’s courtroom on Thursday afternoon, Alam assured the bar associations of Sindh they would discuss the delivery of justice, improving the judicial system and removing technical snags that cause delays in the dispensation of justice to all petitioners alike.
Alam resolved to reshape the face of the judiciary in Sindh. Every wing of the judiciary - from small courts to special fast-track ones for alternate dispute resolutions — will be revitalised and employed with the twin objectives of speedy justice and easing the burden on traditional courts.
The full court reference was addressed by the deputy attorney general, Sindh advocate general, and presidents of the SHC, Karachi, Malir other district bar associations.
SHC Bar Association president Anwar Mansoor Khan raised a number of demands during his speech. He pointed out the difficulties senior lawyers face while practising at the high court level and he requested the CJ reintroduce the weekly and monthly cause lists and a new method to fix cases so that lawyers are consulted beforehand.
He also sought financial assistance for the printing and delivery of cause lists, a reduction in the number of cases fixed before a bench so that all fixed cases are heard and proceeded, and he suggested a limit of 30 cases per day before each bench or judge. Khan also demanded regular meetings of the SHC administration committee, a reduction in working hours on Fridays by one hour, ie till 11:30 am, and an increase in court timing on weekdays, ie up to 1:45 pm.
He suggested that cases unheard during the day by 11 am should be adjourned so that lawyers are saved from anticipating hearing at the end of working hours.
Sindh Bar Council vice-chairperson Iftikhar Javed Kazi urged for meaningful consultation with bar associations when it comes to appointing judges to the lower and superior judiciary. “We, the lawyers, want two qualities in the judges - honesty and competence,” he said. “This will not only contribute to the swift disposal of cases but will also earn [us] a good name.”
Some courts in rural Sindh have been unstaffed for the past two years, said Kazi. He gave the example of an additional district and sessions judge, who transferred cases to far off places when he was unable to cope with the burden. This causes great inconvenience to litigants and lawyers, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune February 18th, 2011.
At the first day for work, the new Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Musheer Alam made lots of promises to the judiciary and justice seekers.
He announced that they would set up al Adal Foundation, an organisation to help poor litigants. Other judges will contribute a day’s salary towards this fund while lawyers and other stakeholders will make voluntary contributions.
As he addressed the packed chief justice’s courtroom on Thursday afternoon, Alam assured the bar associations of Sindh they would discuss the delivery of justice, improving the judicial system and removing technical snags that cause delays in the dispensation of justice to all petitioners alike.
Alam resolved to reshape the face of the judiciary in Sindh. Every wing of the judiciary - from small courts to special fast-track ones for alternate dispute resolutions — will be revitalised and employed with the twin objectives of speedy justice and easing the burden on traditional courts.
The full court reference was addressed by the deputy attorney general, Sindh advocate general, and presidents of the SHC, Karachi, Malir other district bar associations.
SHC Bar Association president Anwar Mansoor Khan raised a number of demands during his speech. He pointed out the difficulties senior lawyers face while practising at the high court level and he requested the CJ reintroduce the weekly and monthly cause lists and a new method to fix cases so that lawyers are consulted beforehand.
He also sought financial assistance for the printing and delivery of cause lists, a reduction in the number of cases fixed before a bench so that all fixed cases are heard and proceeded, and he suggested a limit of 30 cases per day before each bench or judge. Khan also demanded regular meetings of the SHC administration committee, a reduction in working hours on Fridays by one hour, ie till 11:30 am, and an increase in court timing on weekdays, ie up to 1:45 pm.
He suggested that cases unheard during the day by 11 am should be adjourned so that lawyers are saved from anticipating hearing at the end of working hours.
Sindh Bar Council vice-chairperson Iftikhar Javed Kazi urged for meaningful consultation with bar associations when it comes to appointing judges to the lower and superior judiciary. “We, the lawyers, want two qualities in the judges - honesty and competence,” he said. “This will not only contribute to the swift disposal of cases but will also earn [us] a good name.”
Some courts in rural Sindh have been unstaffed for the past two years, said Kazi. He gave the example of an additional district and sessions judge, who transferred cases to far off places when he was unable to cope with the burden. This causes great inconvenience to litigants and lawyers, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune February 18th, 2011.