SC may review 17th Amendment: CJP

ISLAMABAD (Agencies) - Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said that the Supreme
Court can review the 17th Amendment.
The Chief Justice made these observations during the hearing of a petition in Islamabad. CJ Iftikhar disagreed
with the petitioner that certain laws can escape the jurisdiction of superior courts in some matters. He said the
apex court has the power to review martial law regulations, as well as those laws protected by the Constitution,
including the 17th Amendment. The Chief Justice said the Supreme Court could even review the actions of
governments protected by Article 270AA of the Constitution under the 17th Amendment.
While hearing a case relating to the allotment of a plot, the CJ in his remarks said that the SC had the authority
to review any of the mala fide actions. He said every mala fide act could be reviewed, no matter if it had been
given protection in the Article 270AA of the 17th Amendment of the Constitution.