After president’s decline, govt calls parliament’s joint sitting to approve SC bill

The government has convened a joint session of the parliament on Monday (today) to get the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 passed as President Arif Alvi had returned unsigned the bill.

National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has summoned the joint sitting of the House today at 4pm.

The president had returned the bill for reconsideration to parliament as per the provisions of the Article 75 of the Constitution, stating that the bill prima-facie travels beyond the competence of parliament and can be assailed as colourable legislation.

The bill was aimed at curtailing the powers of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) — including the suo motu and the formation of benches.

According to a circular issued by the NA secretariat, “In exercise of the powers conferred by proviso to rule 4 of the Parliament (Joint Sittings) Rules, 1973, the honourable Speaker has been pleased to call a joint sitting on Monday, the 10th April, 2023 at 4.00 p.m. instead of 2.00 p.m.”

Earlier, the joint sitting of parliament was scheduled to be held on April 10 at 2pm.

Due to the en masse resignations of the PTI lawmakers from the NA, the government is expected to get the bill sail through the house without any hindrance.

Later, the bill be presented before the president once again for his assent. If the head of the state does not give his approval within 10 days, it would be deemed to have been given.

'Most unfortunate'

A day earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif castigated the president for returning the top court bill, unsigned and called him a worker of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

"President Alvi returning the Supreme Court Bill duly passed by Parliament is most unfortunate," the prime minister said in a hard-hitting tweet.

In the tweet, the prime minister said the president had belittled his office through his actions as he follows the PTI chief's orders rather than fulfilling his constitutional duties.

"Through his conduct, he has belittled the august Office by acting as a worker of the PTI, one who is beholden to Imran Niazi more than the Constitution & demands of his Office," he added.