The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has revealed its updated procedure for appointing judges to the high courts, following a recent hearing.
The revised rules emphasize the importance of a candidate’s legal experience, qualifications, competence, and eloquence in the selection process. Additionally, the commission’s meetings will now be held in private to ensure confidentiality.
Under the new framework, the Chief Justice of a High Court will be chosen from the top three senior-most judges. If the senior-most judge is not selected, they must provide an explanation. All members of the commission are empowered to nominate candidates for high court judgeships. However, final appointments will depend on a thorough assessment of the candidate’s educational background, legal expertise, and overall ability. A broad-minded perspective will also be considered in the selection.
In a significant change, judicial officers will now be included in the selection process alongside lawyers. Furthermore, the rules introduce a formal evaluation form for assessing potential judges.
While the commission’s decisions will be made public, the details of its discussions will remain confidential, and members are prohibited from revealing any information discussed during the proceedings.
