Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial should be summoned to National Assembly to explain why he has sought its record, given the sensitivity of the matter, according to PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
The former premier said that the top judge should explain to the parliamentarians the reasons behind his order.
"This isn't just any matter; it is an issue of the supremacy and sovereignty of the House," he maintained.
Abbasi went on to add that the top court operates on the Constitution evolved by parliamentarians. "If the apex court begins to seek parliamentary record, [the motive should be made clear].
To substantiate his point, he referred to the 1997 judgement by then Justice Sajjad Ali Shah wherein he had sought Parliament's record.
"When then NA Speaker Illahi Bakhsh Soomro provided the record, he was ordered by the judge to also provide the expunged part; a major part of the speeches had been expunged at the time."
The PML-N leader maintained that the record is the property of the House and cannot be provided sans permission of the lawmakers.
Read this too: Political Parties Intend Benches Of Own Choice For Desired Verdicts: CJP
The veteran politician also proposed formulating a house committee to debate the issue so as to reach a decision into the matter.
The remarks come a day after the apex court requested a copy of the record of the Parliament’s standing committee on judicial reforms’ debate on this issue.
It was sought as the court resumed hearings on petitions contesting the law that restricts CJP's authority to take suo motu notices in an individual capacity.
During the hearing, CJP Umar Ata Bandial remarked that political parties intend to “pick and choose” the bench for “desired judgments.”
Besides the top judge, the eight-member larger bench includes Justices Ijaz-ul-Ahsan, Munib Akhtar, Mazahar Naqvi, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Ayesha Malik, Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, and Shahid Waheed.
The former premier said that the top judge should explain to the parliamentarians the reasons behind his order.
"This isn't just any matter; it is an issue of the supremacy and sovereignty of the House," he maintained.
Abbasi went on to add that the top court operates on the Constitution evolved by parliamentarians. "If the apex court begins to seek parliamentary record, [the motive should be made clear].
To substantiate his point, he referred to the 1997 judgement by then Justice Sajjad Ali Shah wherein he had sought Parliament's record.
"When then NA Speaker Illahi Bakhsh Soomro provided the record, he was ordered by the judge to also provide the expunged part; a major part of the speeches had been expunged at the time."
The PML-N leader maintained that the record is the property of the House and cannot be provided sans permission of the lawmakers.
Read this too: Political Parties Intend Benches Of Own Choice For Desired Verdicts: CJP
The veteran politician also proposed formulating a house committee to debate the issue so as to reach a decision into the matter.
The remarks come a day after the apex court requested a copy of the record of the Parliament’s standing committee on judicial reforms’ debate on this issue.
It was sought as the court resumed hearings on petitions contesting the law that restricts CJP's authority to take suo motu notices in an individual capacity.
During the hearing, CJP Umar Ata Bandial remarked that political parties intend to “pick and choose” the bench for “desired judgments.”
Besides the top judge, the eight-member larger bench includes Justices Ijaz-ul-Ahsan, Munib Akhtar, Mazahar Naqvi, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Ayesha Malik, Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, and Shahid Waheed.