Chief Justice stresses need to uphold supremacy of Constitution

"Constitution is the basic document and main fountain of law and we need to uphold supremacy of Constitution in society," said Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry while addressing the 25-member delegation of advocates headed by Arshad Mehmood Baghoo, Member Punjab Bar Council.
Mian Muhammad Azam, Finance Secretary, Lahore High Court Bar and Chaudhry Badar-ul-Islam, ex-President District Bar Gujrat and comprising other ex-presidents, ex-general secretaries and members of Gujranwala Division who called him here on Thursday.
According to a press release, the delegation thanked CJP and praised his efforts for the cause of rule of law, supremacy of Constitution and independence of judiciary in society.
They informed the CJ that the legal fraternity struggled to support the principles and their struggle proved to be fruitful in shape of newly restored independent judiciary which is trying its level best to dispense justice to public.
Keeping in view the exceeding demands of public and unprecedented expectations adhered to the institution of judiciary, the National Judicial Policy was formulated to address their needs, although the policy enhanced workload upon judicial officers as well as legal fraternity yet they are working to face the challenge for the redressal of the grievance of litigants.
The policy has not only reduced the backlog but also provided speedy justice to needy. Pointing out some discrepancies and hurdles in the policy, they informed the CJ that the disposal on technical grounds causes problems for litigants and lawyers in shape of wastage of time and money.
Further, disposal on the basis of non-prosecution must be discouraged. Upon which the Chief Justice informed them that inspection teams have been appointed by each High Court to visit district courts physically and to monitor their working. Moreover, a software at Law & Justice Commission of Pakistan, Islamabad is being developed to monitor the working of each court across the country.
Raising the issue the recording of evidence by local commissioners, they said the judicial officer in district judiciary does not take interest in recording of evidence and the work is totally left out at the disposal of local commissioners on which the Chief Justice briefed them that under the National Judicial Policy, local commissioners can only record the evidence in premises of the court where there is much workload on the judicial officers, otherwise judicial officers have to record the evidence themselves.
The evidence will be recorded in premises of the court, the commissioners will be appointed from a panel of Advocates maintained by District & Sessions Judge in consultation with President of the Bars and cases will be entrusted to them on rotation basis. However, the complaints of the Bar will be discussed in forthcoming meeting of National Judicial Policy Making Committee.
Further, they also suggested some ways and means regarding the reforms in district judiciary like establishment of model electronic court system to expedite the process and working of court. They further discussed that in cases of 22-A CrPC, judicial officers follow the police report which is not binding upon the courts and the system needs to be reformed.
They also apprised the CJ about corrupt elements in district judiciary. They expressed the hope that the administration of justice needs his lordship's leadership and motivation to deliver justice and vowed to standby the judiciary in time of need for the glorious cause of supremacy of Constitution in the country and thanked the Chief Justice of Pakistan for sparing time for them.-PR