Forced retirements: Judicial officers’ plea sent to LHC CJ

LAHORE: Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah of Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday declined to hear a petition filed by 12 judicial officers, who had challenged their forced retirements on the orders of the court’s Administration Committee. Justice Shah remarked that it would not be appropriate for him to hear the case since he was a member of the Administration Committee. The judge referred the petition to the chief justice for fixing it before another bench. The petitioners, including additional district and sessions judges, senior civil judges and civil judges have said that Section 12 of Punjab Civil Servants’ Act, 1974, was in violation of the Constitution. They said that they were punished without being heard, which was a violation of Article 10 of the Constitution. They requested the court to strike down Section 12 of the Act and order their reinstatement.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2015.