Pakistan President Alvi returns to Parliament Bill curtailing chief justice's powers

Pakistan’s judicial imbroglio intensified on Saturday after President Arif Alvi returned to Parliament for reconsideration of a Bill aimed at clipping the powers of the chief justice, saying the proposed legislation is beyond the jurisdiction of the legislative body.

Pakistan’s judicial imbroglio intensified on Saturday after President Arif Alvi returned to Parliament for reconsideration of a Bill aimed at clipping the powers of the chief justice, saying the proposed legislation is beyond the jurisdiction of the legislative body.

Pakistan is witnessing a rift between the judiciary and the government after a three-member Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Uma Ata Bandial on Tuesday fixed May 14 as the new date for elections to the Punjab Assembly and quashed the Election Commission's decision to extend the date of the poll from April 10 to October 8.

The apex court's verdict was criticised by the coalition government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, which has refused to accept it. The government also is keen to curb the suo moto (on its own) powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Bandial.

The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 was approved by both houses of Parliament last month and sent to the President for assent.

The President said that the proposed legislation was prima facie beyond the jurisdiction of Parliament as only the Supreme Court has the power to make laws to regulate its business.

“The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 travels beyond the competence of the Parliament and can be assailed as a colourable legislation,” Mr. Alvi, a member of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party before he became President, said in his reply to the government.

The Bill was approved by the federal Cabinet on March 28. The National Assembly passed it after a few amendments suggested by the Standing Committee on Law and Justice. On March 30, it was passed by the Senate.