Senate committee okays increase in SC judges to 25 amidst debate

Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice has approved a proposal to increase the number of Supreme Court judges from the current count to 25, including one Chief Justice and 24 judges.

The committee members debated on the rational to increase judges’ number in the apex court as there treasury benches members advocated need for additional judges to manage the high case backlog in the Supreme Court.

Senator Hamid Khan and Senator Kamran Murtaza opposed the increase, with Senator Murtaza arguing that recent vacancies were strategic and that the Supreme Court should be consulted on the necessity of more judges.

Senator Hamid Khan raised concerns over financial constraints and suggested focusing on the efficiency of existing resources, particularly as Pakistan faces economic challenges.

On the other hand, Senator Shahadat Awan voiced strong support, noting that with an estimated 60,000 pending cases, at least 21 judges are essential.

Senator Abdul Qadir further argued that Pakistan’s growing population and rising crime rates necessitate a larger judiciary, pointing out that the current number of judges remains unchanged since 1995. He highlighted that vacancies persist in the provincial high courts as well.

The 26th constitutional amendment and international comparisons were also discussed, with committee members contrasting Pakistan’s judicial system with those of countries like England, Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia.