A full court bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa is hearing petitions challenging the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023 – a legislation introduced by the former coalition government.
The proceedings of the case are being broadcast live.
Earlier, the Supreme Court decided that the full court proceedings on a set of pleas challenging the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 would be broadcast live.
The decision was taken in a full court meeting headed by CJP Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
The full court was constituted by newly-appointed Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and includes Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha A. Malik, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Shahid Waheed and Justice Musarrat Hilali.
Following the decisions the cameras of PTV were installed in the courtroom for the broadcast of the hearing live.
Four cameras have also been installed in the visitors’ gallery and one is installed for the lawyers’ rostrum in front of the judges’ docks.
Earlier, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa received a warm welcome from the staff upon his arrival at the Supreme Court.
Justice Qazi Faez Isa took oath as the 29th CJP in a ceremony held at the President’s House on Sunday.
In his interaction with the SC registrar and other judicial staff, CJP Qazi Faez Isa asked them to serve the masses coming to the court for justice.
The law
The legislation limits the powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice and to constitute benches on his own. It gives the power of taking suo motu notice to a three-member committee comprising the chief justice and two senior most judges of the court.
The act also aims to have transparent proceedings in the apex court and includes the right to appeal.
The PDM government had on April 10 passed the bill in the joint session of parliament after President Arif Alvi had returned the bill.
