Superior judiciary: SJC officially notifies code of conduct for judges

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on Thursday officially notified the Code of Conduct for Judges of the Superior Judiciary in the official Gazette of Pakistan, following decisions taken in its meeting held on October 18.

The statement issued by the Supreme Court’s PRO stated that the recent amendments to the Code of Conduct approved by the Supreme Judicial Council mainly aim to incorporate rectification of typographical errors in the original 1965 text, the rewording of first paragraph of Article VI (1967), addition of Articles based on three out of seven decisions approved in 2003, and the substitution of Article V alongside the insertion of a new Article XV, designed to strengthen judicial independence and ensure freedom from external influence.

It also said that the Code of Conduct reflects the Council’s continued commitment to upholding the highest standards of judicial integrity, independence, and accountability. The refinements reaffirm the judiciary’s unwavering resolve to ensure that justice is administered without fear, favour, or prejudice. The updated Code of Conduct, as notified in the Gazette, is now available for the information of the public at large.

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar on October 17, one day before the Council’s meeting (18-10-25), wrote a joint letter to the SJC chairperson and its members stating that the proposed amendments under Agenda No.2 to the Code of Conduct for the judges particularly the amendment of Article V, the insertion of Article XIX, the incorporation of the 2003 SJC Resolutions/Guidelines – raises grave concerns about the independence, autonomy, and transparency of the judiciary. They wrote that these proposals, if adopted, will restrict judicial freedom, transform an open and collegial institution into a closed and hierarchical one, and create avenues for control both internal and external.

They recommended that the amendments to the Code of Conduct for judges be deferred until the decision on the 26th Constitutional Amendment and the constitutional legitimacy of the Supreme Judicial Council’s (SJC) composition is settled.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025