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

The Senate today passed “The Constitution Twenty-Sixth Amendment Bill, 2024” with not less than a two-third majority.

It was moved by Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar.

Sixty-five members voted in favour of the constitutional amendment and four against it.

Earlier, sharing details of the bill, the Law Minister said that the constitutional amendment has been brought to provide speedy and inexpensive justice to the people and ensure transparency.

The constitutional amendment envisages establishment of constitutional benches and procedure for appointment and tenure of the Chief Justice of Pakistan as well as appointment of the judges of the Supreme Court.

Highlighting salient features of the constitutional amendment, Azam Nazeer Tarar said the Chief Justice of Pakistan shall be appointed on the recommendation of the Special Parliamentary Committee with a two-third majority from amongst the three most senior judges of the Supreme Court.

The committee shall send the name of the nominee to the Prime Minister, who shall forward the same to the President for appointment.

This Special Parliamentary Committee shall consist of twelve members, including eight from the National Assembly and four from the Senate.  He said the term of the Chief Justice of Pakistan shall be three years.

The Law Minister further said the constitutional amendment provides for the establishment of constitutional benches of the Supreme Court.

He said the nomination of judges of the constitutional benches will also be made by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan.

He said there is also a provision for the establishment of constitutional benches in the high courts.

Mentioning the new composition of Judicial Commission of Pakistan, Azam Nazeer Tarar said it will appoint judges of the Supreme Court.

The Law Minister said Article 9A has been inserted, acknowledging the environment as a fundamental right under which every person shall be entitled to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.