Pleas against 26th amendment: SC to commence hearing from Oct 7

ISLAMABAD: The Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court will commence hearing of the petitions against the 26th Amendment from October 7.

An eight-member larger bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, and comprising Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha Malik, Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Musarrat Hilali, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, and Justice Shahid Bilal, will take up the petitions.

At the last hearing (January 27, 2025), the bench heard the preliminary objections of the petitioners and later issued notices to the federation and others in petitions against the 26th Constitutional Amendment, application for live-streaming of its proceedings, and setting up a Full Court.

More than 22 petitions have been filed against the 26th Constitutional Amendment.

The amendment, passed in October of 2024, introduced key changes to the judicial appointment process, specifically in Article 175-A. These changes were significant, especially as the amendment altered the procedure for selecting the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

The petitioners have demanded that a Full Court be formed for the hearing of the petitions against the 26th Amendment Act, which has direct and profound implications for the independence, structure, and functioning of the judiciary, including the composition of the apex court.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025