Parliamentary committee review: ‘Six legislators authorised to debate judges conduct'

Additional Attorney General wants the case to be passed on to the full court.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of a review appeal against its verdict in the parliamentary committee case, upholding the judicial commission’s recommendations for extension in the service of six additional judges.

Additional Attorney General KK Agha pointed out to the four-member bench that all the people concerned were not heard in this case which is why the review was filed. The advocates general of the provinces were also a party in this case. He also insisted that the bench pass on the review to the 17-member full court bench which is conducting the hearing of the 18th amendment case as well as other important cases.

Justice Jawad S Khawaja questioned Agha on the status of the parliamentary committee? “Is it constitutional or administrative in nature?” Agha answered that it has an administrative role.

“How can the parliamentarians play an administrative role when 442 parliamentarians are barred from discussing the conduct of judges. But on the contrary, six to seven legislators are authorised to debate their conduct,” Justice Khawaja observed. The court adjourned the hearing till Wednesday when Agha will resume his contentions.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 13^th, 2011.