Supreme Judicial Council Meeting to Address Pending Complaints Against Judges

The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) is set to convene on July 12 to address several pending complaints against judges in the superior judiciary. Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi has called for the meeting to review approximately two dozen complaints against superior court judges and recommendations to improve the complaint-handling process and ensure transparency in investigating allegations of misconduct.

Justice Munib Akhtar, an SJC member, has prepared the recommendations. The SJC, in a previous announcement marking Chief Justice Afridi's first 100 days in office, disclosed that 46 complaints against constitutional officeholders were examined, with 40 resolved. In five cases, comments were requested, and additional information was sought in another instance.

It was decided in a previous SJC session to hold regular monthly sessions to expedite the resolution of outstanding complaints against superior court judges. The upcoming July 12 meeting is expected to resume discussions on a letter from six judges of the Islamabad High Court alleging interference by intelligence agencies in judicial matters and calling for a thorough investigation. The letter was submitted on March 25, 2024.

During a previous session, the SJC agreed to broaden consultations while considering various options regarding the letter, emphasizing that the code of conduct for judges applies to heads of different institutions as well. The letter had initially led former Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa to initiate suo motu proceedings after ex-Chief Justice Tassaduq Jillani declined to head a commission to investigate the alleged interference in judicial affairs.

The weekend meeting will be attended by senior judges from the Supreme Court and the high courts, including Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Chief Justice Aalia Neelum of the Lahore High Court, and Chief Justice Muhammad Junaid Ghaffar of the Sindh High Court. The SJC is actively considering amendments to its code of conduct and inquiry procedures, with Justice Munib Akhtar leading a committee tasked with proposing amendments.

According to the source: Dawn.