ISLAMABAD, June 3, 2023: An eight-member larger bench of Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial will hear the petitions against the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 on June 8.
The apex court will resume the hearing after it adjourned the case on Thursday.
Earlier, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had submitted a reply to the Supreme Court in the case challenging the practice and procedure law. The PTI had requested the apex court to declare the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Law 2023 null and void.
The law should be declared unconstitutional, the petitioner pleaded, adding clauses 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 of the Act should be declared illegal. The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) law was against the independence of the judiciary.
Couple of days ago, Supreme Court Bar Association President Abid Zuberi had stated that parliament limited the judicial authority by enacting the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023, adding the law was against the constitutional principles. Mr Zuberi said this in his written response he submitted to the Supreme Court.
Under Article 191, the Supreme Court had the exclusive power to amend the rules, the response said. Meanwhile, the government taking a significant step towards implementing the Supreme Court Review of Judgments and Orders Act 2023, issued a gazette notification, marking the official commencement of the Act.