LHC CJ Chairs Full Court Meeting To Discuss Swift Disposal Of Cases

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Mar, 2024) Lahore High Court Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan Saturday chaired a full court meeting at the main library hall of the court and discussed proposals for swift disposal of pending cases in the LHC and the district judiciary.

LHC Senior Puisne Judge Justice Shujaat Ali Khan, Justice Ali Baqir Najafi, Justice Miss Alia Neelam, Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh, Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan as well as other judges attended the meeting.

In the light of the suggestions, it was decided to make an effective policy, so that pending cases were adequately dealt with. It was also decided to make up the deficiency of more than 700 judicial officers in the district judiciary of Punjab by simplifying the current syllabus of the examinations for recruitment of civil judges and additional sessions judges. For the purpose, the matter would soon be placed before the administration committee of the Lahore High Court and unnecessary topics/subjects would be removed from the syllabus.

It was also decided in the full court meeting that special benches would be established to hear cases of various types including civil, criminal, family, tax and rent, etc. System would be further improved to keep a check and balance in the district judiciary and inspection judge of each district would visit the district concerned and order immediate and concrete steps for redressing grievances related to the courts.

Emphasising importance of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), the participant judges decided that the ADR court system would be improved by making it more active and a system would be introduced to attract the litigants towards ADR for immediate and permanent decrees on the cases.

The full court also considered to allow to record arguments through video-link facility in Lahore High Court, Lahore Principal Seat and allied benches in Bahawalpur, Multan and Rawalpindi. Moreover, the suggestions of providing video-link facility for recording arguments and evidence in the district judiciary were also considered. For changes in the relevant rules, immediate suggestions would be taken from the rules committee and place before the administration committee.

Furthermore, the issue of difference of opinion on same legal points in identical cases was also considered and it was decided that larger benches would be constituted as soon as possible to examine different opinions in the judgments of the high court on various legal points with the mandate to decide which legal point was correct in the eyes of law and the Constitution.

The participants in the full court meeting expressed great concerns over lockdown of courts and lawyers' strikes and decided clearly that lockdown of courts would not be tolerated under any circumstances. It was decided that anyone, who would take the law into his/her hands, stern action, as per law, would be taken against the delinquent, without any favour or exception. It was also decided that bar associations across province would be met and apprised of the aforesaid decision of the full court so that the culture of strikes and lockdowns in the courts could be completely eradicated. The full court expressed its optimism that all lawyer organisations would fully cooperate in ending the court lockdown and strike culture.