Meddling in court affairs: IHC judges ‘propose contempt proceedings’

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: In compliance with the Supreme Court’s April 3 order, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges, in a unanimous stance, proposed a “contempt proceeding” against any meddling in judicial affairs, revealed sources privy to the matter.

This was stated in the proposal submitted by the IHC judges to the Registrar of the Supreme Court earlier this week. Subject to the institutional consensus, the high court should exercise its contempt of court powers to counter meddling, the sources said quoting the IHC proposal on how to stop meddling in the judicial matters.

In their recommendations came to the fore today, the IHC judges also proposed a “high court administrative committee” to make a final decision on matters related to the alleged interference in the court’s affairs, the sources added.

The committee then decide whether to look into the matter on the administrative or judicial side. In view of the seriousness of the matter, the committee should be empowered to send the case to the “full court”, the well-placed sources said quoting the judges’ recommendations.

A proposed 6 to 7-page draft proposing amendments to the judges’ code of conduct was also included in the recommendations. The draft suggests that it should be made obligatory for the civil, session and high court judges to report any kind of interference in the court’s affairs within seven days of the incident, the insiders added.

The judges would inform the inspection judge about the alleged meddling, it added. The inspection judge will bring the matter to the knowledge of the chief justice of the high court concerned. A judge who will not report the alleged meddling within seven days should be considered guilty of misconduct. The sources further said the judges suggested there should be an “institutional response” to any kind of meddling.