LAHORE (Dunya News) - Lahore High Court has (LHC) directed to jointly present two applications filed against Practice and Procedure Ordinance 2024.
LHC CJ Aalia Neelum heard the application filed by Munir Ahmed against Practice and Procedure Ordinance 2024.
Azhar Siddique couldn’t appear before the court.
LHC CJ remarked that the same questions were raised in both applications and ordered that both applications must be presented together.
The court also sought arguments from applicants on the admissibility of applications.
LHC has also summoned attorney general and advocate general for assistant on October 7.
The court directed Iftikhar Ahmed to submit a copy of the new application to the state lawyer.
The applicant contended in his application that the presidential ordinance was mal-intent.
The Supreme Court’s powers couldn’t be increased and decreased through presidential ordinance.
The pleader requested the court to annul the presidential ordinance and halt its enforcement till final judgment on the petition.
WHAT'S THE ORDINANCE?
President Asif Zardart signed the Practice and Procedure Amendment Ordinance, and the ordinance had been issued.
Under the amendment to the Act, the chief justice of Pakistan can nominate a judge in case of unavailability of a committee member.
The Act provided that the chief justice of Pakistan will constitute a three-member committee “comprising the Chief Justice of Pakistan and two next most senior Judges, in order of seniority” to hear “every cause, appeal or matter before the Supreme Court.”
Under the ordinance, transcripts and recordings of judicial proceedings will be available to the public.
PTI MOVES COURTS
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyer Azhar Siddique on Saturday challenged it in the Lahore High Court (LHC).
The federal government and others have been made respondents in the petition.
It has been argued in the petition that the presidential ordinance was based on mala fide intention. It said that the apex court had given its verdict on the Practice and Procedure Act, adding that powers of the SC couldn’t be changed through the ordinance.
The applicant pleaded that the court should nullify the ordinance and stop any action taken under the act until final verdict by the court.
Sindh PTI President Haleem Adil Sheikh filed a constitutional petition in the SHC contending that the ordinance was a “clear violation of the judgment of the Supreme Court.”