IHC seeks authority to exercise contempt of court powers in cases of judicial interference

In proposals to SC, IHC also suggests institutional response to judicial interference

In a recent development regarding the concerns raised by six judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), proposals have been forwarded to the Supreme Court by the iHC, shedding light on the unanimous stance taken by the judiciary to address the issue.

Among the proposals, a comprehensive draft of the Judges’ Code of Conduct, spanning six to seven pages, has been included, aiming to fortify the integrity and autonomy of the judicial system.

Central to the proposals is the insistence on instituting a robust institutional response to combat any form of interference encountered by judges. Notably, the IHC suggested that judges across Civil, Sessions, and High Courts should be duty-bound to promptly report any instance of interference.

Strikingly, failure to report such interference within a stipulated seven-day timeframe would result in a conviction of misconduct for the concerned judge, underlining the gravity with which the issue is being addressed.

Furthermore, the Islamabad High Court suggests a systematic protocol for reporting interference, wherein Civil and Sessions Judges are mandated to inform the Inspection Judge of the High Court upon encountering any interference. Subsequently, the Inspection Judge would escalate the matter to the Chief Justice of the High Court for further action.

The proposed mechanism advocates for a decisive approach, empowering the High Court Administrative Committee to adjudicate on the matter either administratively or judicially, with the option to refer serious cases to the Full Court for deliberation.

The IHC also proposes granting the High Court the authority to exercise contempt of court powers in cases of judicial interference, cementing its commitment to upholding the sanctity of the judiciary.