<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On October 21, the National Assembly of Pakistan approved the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill, raising concerns over judicial independence, Jurist News reported yesterday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The amendment alters Article 175, establishing a parliamentary committee to select the Chief Justice from the three most senior Supreme Court judges, subject to presidential approval. The Chief Justice will serve a three-year term with a retirement age of 65.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additionally, the amendment mandates the formation of constitutional benches in the Supreme Court and high courts, with the senior-most judge presiding. Changes to Article 215 ensure that members of the Election Commission remain in position until successors are appointed, promoting electoral stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The threshold for referring matters to the Council of Islamic Ideology has been reduced from 40% to 25%. The amendment also addresses environmental protection and aims to eliminate a usury-based economy by 2028.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Critics, including the International Commission of Jurists, argue that the amendments increase political influence over judicial appointments. The bill will now proceed to the president for assent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On October 21, the National Assembly of Pakistan approved the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill, raising concerns over judicial independence, Jurist News reported yesterday. The amendment alters Article 175, establishing a parliamentary committee to select the Chief Justice from the three most senior Supreme Court judges, subject to presidential approval. The Chief Justice will serve a …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":113361,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"yes","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[13,1],"tags":[10842,10843],"class_list":["post-113345","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pakistan","category-uncategorized","tag-controversial-constitutional-amendment","tag-judicial-independence"],"yoast_head":"\n