LHCBA concerned over reports of judge’s elevation

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) has expressed concern over likely elevation of a junior judge of the high court to the supreme court and hinted at lodging protest if seniority of judges is violated in the elevation process. In a statement issued on Thursday, LHCBA Secretary Fayaz Ahmad Ranjha said the elevation of a junior judge to the SC was in clear violation of the famous judgment of Al-Jihad Trust, which envisaged elevation of judges on the basis of seniority. The statement was issued in relation to media reports suggesting that consensus had been built among the judicial commission members to elevate a junior judge, who far behind in seniority of LHC judges, as judge of the apex court. The secretary said the elevation of a junior judge would give an impression as if the senior most judge was not competent enough to become SC judge or he himself refused the elevation. He said there should be an explanation and permission if senior judges had turned down their elevation like it happened in the recent past when Justice Muneeb Akhtar of the Sindh High Court was elevated to the SC with the consent of three judges senior to him.

Ranjha said the bar fully acknowledged competence and honesty of the judge, however, it had a grave concern over bypassing of judges’ seniority. He said a line of action for protest would be chalked out with the consultation of the Pakistan Bar Council if the Judicial Commission approved elevation of the junior judge.