ISLAMABAD: The federal government of Pakistan is set to table the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023, in a joint session of parliament on April 10.
The bill seeks to curb the powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, but President Arif Alvi has returned it to parliament for reconsideration, citing concerns that it exceeds the competence of the parliament and can be considered as “colorable legislation.”
If the bill is approved by the joint session of parliament with a majority, it will be sent back to the President for his assent. If President Alvi does not give his nod to it within ten days, the approval will be deemed to have been given.
Standoff between government and Supreme Court
The bill had previously passed through the National Assembly and Senate, despite a standoff between the government and the Supreme Court over snap elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In his statement, President Alvi also highlighted Article 67 and Article 191 of the Constitution, which define the limits of parliament and the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He emphasized that the Supreme Court is an independent institution, as envisioned by the founding fathers of the nation, and that the independence of the judiciary must be fully secured.
The competence of parliament to form laws stems from the Constitution itself, he added, underscoring the need for careful consideration of the bill’s potential impact on the judiciary and the balance of powers in the country.
The joint session of parliament is expected to be a heated affair, with lawmakers from across the political spectrum expressing their views on the bill and its implications for the country’s democratic institutions. The outcome of the vote is uncertain, but it is clear that the controversy surrounding the bill is far from over.
