NA meets today: Increase in number of SC judges to be discussed on Tuesday

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly, after a break of two days will meet on Friday (today) at 11 am. The order of the day issued by the National Assembly, however, does not contain a bill for an increase in the number of Supreme Court Judges from 17 to 22.

The Supreme Court (number of Judges) (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is now likely to be taken up by the House on the private members day on Tuesday next. PMLN MNA parliamentarian Danyal Chaudhry will move as a private member and the same will be supported by members on treasury benches. The proposed legislation which requires a simple majority to sail through the House will seek an increase in the number of judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan from 17 to 23, including the Chief Justice.

“The number of judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan other than Chief Justice shall be 22,” a substitution in Section 2 of the Supreme Court (number of Judges) Act, 1997 as mentioned in the legislation says.

Danyal Chaudhry introduced the Supreme Court (number of Judges) (Amendment) bill, 2024 as a private member bill in the National Assembly on September 10 and the same was referred to the concerned standing committee of the House.

The statement of objects and reasons of the bill says that an increase in the number of judges will help address a backlog of cases in the apex court. The minister for interior introduced a bill to further amend the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 and Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024.