ISLAMABAD; Two more intra-court appeals have been filed in the Supreme Court (SC) challenging its June 19 verdict in the judges’ seniority case, bringing the total number of appeals to four.
The latest appeals have been submitted by the Karachi Bar Association and advocate Shoaib Shaheen. They contend that the Supreme Court misinterpreted the Constitution in its ruling, arguing that the court incorrectly introduced the concept of a “permanent transfer” under Article 200, which they claim does not exist in the Constitution.
According to the petitioners, appointments to judicial posts can only occur through the Judicial Commission (JC), and the idea that judges can be appointed via transfer contradicts constitutional provisions. They further asserted that determining judges’ seniority is not within the powers of the President of Pakistan.
Previously, two similar intra-court appeals had been filed by the Lahore High Court Bar Association and the Lahore Bar Association, which also sought to overturn the SC’s five-member bench decision. These earlier appeals have not yet been scheduled for hearing.
The new appeals likewise request the SC to suspend the June 19 judgment and any actions taken under it until a final decision on the appeals is reached.
The petitioners maintain that the Supreme Court delivered its judgment without thoroughly examining constitutional requirements and without giving the appellants a full opportunity to present their arguments, resulting in what they describe as a hasty decision.
Consequently, they have urged the apex court to review and nullify the earlier ruling to uphold constitutional principles and judicial transparency.
