ISLAMABAD: Lawyer Sardar Salman Ahmad Dogar submitted a reference to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and three other judges of the Supreme Court, alleging judicial misconduct.
Justices Ijazul Ahsan, Munib Akhtar, and Syed Mazahar Ali Naqvi were also named in the complaint, which was based on an alleged violation of the Code of Conduct for judges of the superior judiciary issued by the SJC on September 2, 2009.
The reference cited violations of various articles of the code of conduct, including maintaining proper conduct on all occasions, avoiding bias and conflict of interest, ensuring transparency in dispensing justice, refraining from engaging in public controversy on political issues, avoiding the use of a judge’s position for personal gain, and promoting harmony within the court and across the justice system.
The complainant also alleged that the CJP engaged in arbitrary elevation of judges to the Supreme Court in violation of the seniority principle. He proposed an alternative composition of the SJC to investigate the reference, as no judge can be part of a bench hearing a reference against themselves. The complainant has requested the removal of the four judges from their offices by the president after an SJC inquiry into the alleged misconduct. The SJC is the only forum with the jurisdiction to investigate the conduct of judges of the superior judiciary.
Earlier, the apex court bench led by CJP Bandial scrapped the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decision to hold elections in Punjab on October 8. The SC set May 14 new date for the election in Punjab.
