CS told to form panel for framing of rules and implementation of Medico Legal Act 2023

The Sindh High Court has directed the chief secretary and the home secretary to constitute a coordinating committee to ensure compliance with the Sindh Medico Legal Act 2023 in letter and spirit.

Hearing a petition seeking constitution of a medical board in domestic violence case, a division bench headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar observed that the medical board was constituted to ascertain cause of death of a woman who is allegedly killed by her in-laws in Orangi Town.

The court observed that the Sindh Medico Legal Act 2023 provides medical hierarchy in the criminal justice system; however, rules of the Act are yet to be framed. It said that the Act provides criteria for the appointment of medico-legal officers, constitution of a medical advisory board, appointment of a forensic police surgeon, sanctioned new establishment, which is a best piece of legislation by the provincial government.

The court directed the chief secretary and the home secretary to constitute a coordinating committee to ensure framing of rules of the Act within six weeks.

The SHCH also directed the home department to ensure appointment of a police surgeon, establishment of forensic faculty and other related departments keeping in view of the Islamabad High Court’s judgment and SOPs given by the ministry of national health services.

It observed that some SHC counsel may be taken for providing legal assistance in this regard and directed the law officer to submit a compliance report on the next date of hearing.

Award of contracts

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday directed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and others to file comments on a petition against allocation of contracts in different UCs without following the public procurement rules.

The direction came on a petition of the United Friends Contractors Association which challenged award of certain contracts by the KMC in different UCs without adhering to public procurement rules.

The petitioner’s counsel submitted that various work orders were issued in February 2023 whose administrative approvals were made in August 2023 by passing the procurement process in schemes and rules framed under the law.

He submitted that the contracts were being awarded to blue-eyed individuals.

He requested the high court to restrain award of such contracts being issued without fulfilling the codal formalities of public procurement rules.

A counsel for the KMC sought time to file comments on the petition. A division bench of the SHC headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Shafi Siddiqui also asked the petitioner’s counsel to move an application for filing of additional documents, if any, so the same could be considered on next date of hearing.