SC announces special arrangements for 26th amendment case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) on Friday announced comprehensive arrangements for the upcoming hearing of the 26th Constitutional Amendment case, scheduled for January 27.

According to an official statement, the hearing will be conducted in Courtroom No. 2, with enhanced security measures in place to ensure the safety of all participants. Due to limited seating, special passes will be issued to authorized individuals, including lawyers and journalists. The SC emphasized that only pass holders will be allowed entry into the courtroom.

For individuals without passes, alternative arrangements include audio streaming facilities in Courtrooms No. 6 and 7. The use of mobile phones within the courtroom will be strictly prohibited, as outlined in the statement.

The case, brought before the SC’s Constitutional Bench, includes a series of petitions challenging the legality of the 26th Amendment. The Bench, led by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan and comprising six other justices, will hear arguments questioning the procedural and legal validity of the amendment.

The petitioners argue that the amendment, which was passed on the midnight of May 20-21, and limits the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s term to three years, should be declared unconstitutional due to alleged irregularities in its passage. Additionally, the petitioners claim votes of members with pending election disputes were improperly included to meet the threshold under Article 239.

Under the amendment, a 12-member parliamentary committee is responsible for appointing the Chief Justice from a shortlist of three senior judges, a process finalized through recommendations to the Prime Minister and President.

The federation, Sindh government, Chairman Senate, Speaker National Assembly, and the Election Commission of Pakistan are among the respondents in the case.