Senate passes “The Constitution Twenty-Sixth Amendment Bill, 2024”

ISLAMABAD: The Senate has today approved “The Constitution Twenty-Sixth Amendment Bill, 2024” with at least a two-thirds majority. The motion was presented by Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar.

Sixty-five members supported the constitutional amendment, while four opposed it. Earlier, while discussing the bill, the Law Minister stated that the amendment aims to provide swift and affordable justice to the populace and to enhance transparency.Effective use of vaccines can reduce antibiotic use by 2.5 billion doses annually, WHO report says

The constitutional amendment proposes the establishment of constitutional benches and outlines the process for the appointment and tenure of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, along with the appointment of Supreme Court judges.

Emphasizing the key features of the amendment, Azam Nazeer Tarar noted that the Chief Justice of Pakistan will be appointed based on the recommendation of a Special Parliamentary Committee, requiring a two-thirds majority from among the three most senior judges of the Supreme Court. The committee will forward the name of the nominee to the Prime Minister, who will then present it to the President for official appointment.

This Special Parliamentary Committee will comprise twelve members, including eight from the National Assembly and four from the Senate. He added that the Chief Justice of Pakistan will serve a term of three years.

The Law Minister also mentioned that the amendment facilitates the creation of constitutional benches within the Supreme Court. He noted that the Judicial Commission of Pakistan will also handle the nominations for judges of these benches and that there are provisions for establishing constitutional benches in the high courts as well.

Discussing the revised structure of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, Azam Nazeer Tarar indicated that it will be responsible for appointing Supreme Court judges. Additionally, the Law Minister pointed out that Article 9-A has been added, recognizing the environment as a fundamental right, which entitles every individual to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.