Panel’s decision overturned: SC wants notification on judges extension

Detailed verdict of the case released.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday has released a detailed verdict in the judges' appointment case and declared the parliamentary committee's decision unconstitutional.

The court directed the federal government to issue a notification endorsing the extension of the six judges in line with the recommendations made by the Judicial Commission last month.

On March 4, the Supreme Court had turned down the eight-member bipartisan Parliamentary Committee's decision to reject the Judicial Commission's recommendation to grant a one-year extension to six additional judges of the Lahore and Sindh High Courts.

In its detailed judgment, the court stated that it is important that judicial appointments remain independent of the executive and the legislature to ensure the independence of the judiciary, except for such executive inputs in decision-making which can ensure and advance the independence of the judiciary. “In this case, the committee has not provided any such input.“

A four-member bench of the apex court, comprising Justice MA Shahid Siddiqui, Justice Jawwad S Khwaja, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez, had issued the order after hearing two identical petitions challenging the PC's decision.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2011.