The constitutional bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has been extended for six months.

A meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi, was held on Saturday. During the meeting, the Judicial Commission Rules were approved, and the constitutional bench’s term was extended for an additional six months.

Constitutional bench

Sources indicate that the decision to retain the composition of the constitutional bench was made by a 7-6 majority vote. Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel had suggested including all judges in the constitutional bench. During the voting process, seven members supported maintaining the current bench, leading to its extension for six months.

Judicial Commission rules

They further said that minor changes were also made in some rules of the Judicial Commission in Saturday’s meeting, and the condition of medical test for new additional judges was abolished. Moreover, whether to seek an intelligence report of a candidate for appointment as a judge or not will be the discretion of the Judicial Commission.

According to the final draft, three names will be considered for the post of chief justice of a high court, and it would be required to give reasons for not appointing the senior-most judge as the chief justice.

Five names will be submitted from a high court for the appointment as judges of the Supreme Court.

The sources further said that under the new rules, nominations have been invited for additional judges by January 3 and the chief justices of the high courts concerned will send the nominations to the Judicial Commission. The names already sent for additional judges have been unanimously withdrawn.