IHC decision on allotment of additional plots to judges challenged

The Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) decision to declare the allotment of additional plots to top bureaucrats and judges of the superior judiciary illegal has been challenged.

An intra-court appeal filed in the IHC by non-governmental organisation Jurist Foundation made the federation, CDA, interior secretary and others respondents in the case.

On August 27, a single bench of the IHC had declared that the policy of allotment of more than one plot to top bureaucrats and judges of the superior judiciary illegal. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, however, referred the matter to the government with a direction to evolve a policy in accordance with the law.

The court noted that judges of the superior courts were only entitled to those benefits/rights which had been envisaged in the Presidential Order of 1997 as well as the rights conferred in the 5th Schedule in terms of Article 205 of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973.

On Saturday, Jurist Foundation adopted the stance that the decision to declare the allotment of additional plots to judges and senior officials illegal would not be beneficial. It said the directive to legislate in the matter cannot “legalise the illegal action”.

The foundation requested the court to declare its single bench’s decision null and void and order a NAB inquiry against those who had caused losses to the national exchequer.