The coalition government achieved a significant milestone with the passage of the 26th Amendment Bill, 2024.
Following its successful navigation through the Senate, the coalition pushed the contentious constitutional package through the National Assembly in the early hours of Monday.
This judiciary-oriented constitutional package encompasses several amendments, including a fixed three-year term for the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP).
In the upper house of parliament, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar presented and elaborated on the key features of the bill during the National Assembly session.
The session, which commenced at midnight on Sunday and extended into Monday morning, featured intense debates between the opposition and treasury benches, with the opposition accusing the amendments of seeking to undermine the judiciary.
Once the speeches concluded, NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq initiated the voting process for the constitutional amendment bill.
Members of the opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), performed a walkout during the voting.
The newly passed bill will now be forwarded to the President for assent under Article 75 of the Constitution.
Key Points of the 26th Amendment Bill, 2024
- The tenure of the Chief Justice of Pakistan is fixed at three years.
- Establishment of constitutional benches at the Supreme Court and high courts.
- The senior-most judge on each bench will serve as the presiding officer.
- A parliamentary committee will nominate the new Chief Justice from a panel of the three most senior judges.
- The committee will submit the selected name to the Prime Minister, who will then forward it to the President for final approval.
- The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), led by the Chief Justice and three other members, will oversee the appointment of Supreme Court judges.
- The JCP will assess judges’ performance and report any concerns to the Supreme Judicial Council.
- Complete eradication of Riba (interest) from the country by January 1, 2028.