ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Law and Justice has approved the Practice and Procedure Bill 2023.
The Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill 2023 was reviewed in the meeting of the Standing Committee on Law and Justice of the National Assembly, while the Minister of Law Nazir Tarar said that yesterday the National Assembly said not to make any law that could be challenged. The bill was referred to the committee for consideration. The bill aims to ensure transparent proceedings in the Supreme Court.
He said that important cases are not heard for 6-6 months, voices were also heard from within the Supreme Court, it was time for the Parliament to legislate on it.
On this occasion, Nafeesa Shah said that we are all worried about this current situation, we have noticed from day to day, it needs to be regulated, some questions are being raised that this bill should not be abolished by tomorrow.
The law minister said that the indiscriminate use of 184/3 started from 2007/08, three judges after Iftikhar Chaudhry avoided taking notice by themselves, then Saqib Nisar used the notice by himself. It should not be a one-man show, in recent days two judges have also given a decision regarding it.
Azam Nazir said that the committee proposed in the bill will regulate the matter, you have not seen two senior judges in any bench for 2 years now.
Later, the Standing Committee on Law and Justice approved the Practice and Procedure Bill 2023.
What is an amendment bill?
Under the bill, every case and appeal before the Supreme Court will be heard and disposed of by a bench constituted by the committee, while the committee will consist of the Chief Justice and two senior-most judges and the decision of the committee will be by majority opinion.
Under Article 184/3 of the Constitution, the matter shall first be referred to the Committee, on matters of public importance relating to fundamental rights, a bench of 3 or more judges shall be constituted, in cases relating to the constitution and law, the bench shall consist of at least 5 judges. While an appeal can be filed within 30 days of the decision of the bench, the filed appeal will be scheduled for hearing in 14 days, pending cases will also have the right to appeal, the party can hire a lawyer of his choice for the appeal.
In addition, the case shall be fixed for hearing within 14 days of application for emergency or interim relief.
