Judges’ appointment: PHC moved for making tests, interviews mandatory

PESHAWAR: A writ petition was filed on Tuesday in the Peshawar High Court seeking to make tests and interviews mandatory for the appointment of judges in all high courts across the country.

The petition filed by Advocate Suleman Khan has made the federal government, the president of Pakistan, the chairman of the Judicial Commission, the secretaries of the Senate and National Assembly and the provincial government parties to the case.

The petition contended that currently, the appointment of judges was being made on the basis of favoritism and political affiliations, which has severely affected the judicial system.It argued that judges in high courts were appointed through a voting process, but nowhere in the Constitution of Pakistan is the word “vote” mentioned in relation to the appointment of judges.

According to the petition, it remained unclear where the concept of voting for judicial appointments originated. The rules of the Judicial Commission were termed unconstitutional and contrary to fundamental rights. Nationally and internationally, the term “vote” is associated with elections, not judicial appointments.

The petitioner pleaded that it was surprising that even for Class-IV (low-grade) government jobs, tests and interviews were required, so the same should apply to the appointment of judges.