Judges appointed to high courts under 3-step procedure, LHC told

LAHORE: Federal Ministry of Law and Justice has told the Lahore High Court the appointment of judges to the court is made under Article 175-A of the Constitution in a three-step procedure including nomination by Judicial Commission, recommendation by parliamentary committee and final approval by the President.

The law ministry has no role in the appointment of judges to higher courts except for issuing a notification after completion of the three-step procedure, said a report submitted by the ministry in response to a petition questioning the procedure for the appointment of judges.

A senior lawyer, A.K Dogar, had filed a petition pleading that the vacancies of judges were filled on the basis of personal liking and disliking.

He said there was no merit for the judges’ appointment. He said judges were appointed after passing written test and interviews in developed countries of the world.

He said the judges of the superior courts should be appointed after written test and interview.

In its reply, the law ministry also questioned the locus standi of the petitioner to agitate the matter and termed the petition a frivolous one. It said the petition could not be categorised in public interest litigation; therefore, liable to be dismissed.

Justice Atir Mahmood adjourned the hearing till Dec 12 and directed the petitioner-lawyer to come up with his counter arguments to the reply filed by the law ministry.