Petition filed in the Apex Court, challenging the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023

A petition has been filed in the Apex Court, challenging the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023, on Tuesday.

As reported, the petitioner demanded that the bill should be declared illegal and unconstitutional.

The petitioner contended that only the SC had the power to formulate the rules. An application has been filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), demanding that the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 should be nullified.

On Monday, amid strong protest from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the federal government managed to get the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023, passed in the joint session of parliament after President Arif Alvi returned the bill seeking to curtail the chief justice’s suo motu powers last week.

President Dr Arif Alvi returned the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 for reconsideration to the parliament as per the provisions of Article 75 of the constitution.

The House approved an amendment to the SC bill, under which the judges’ committee meeting will be convened to devise rules and regulations regarding the suo motu matter.

The amendment was proposed by PML-N lawmaker Shaza Fatima Khawaja.

As per the amendment, the chief justice of Pakistan or any other member of the committee can call the meeting until the rules and regulations are finalised.