26th Amendment Gazetted, Chief Justice Appointment Rules in Place

After receiving approval from President Asif Ali Zardari, the 26th Constitutional Amendment has officially been enacted through a gazette notification, marking a significant development in Pakistan’s legislative framework.

The National Assembly issued the gazette notification, transforming the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill 2024 into an Act of Parliament. With this issuance, the amendment takes immediate effect.

One of the key provisions introduced by the amendment is the formation of a special parliamentary committee responsible for appointing the new Chief Justice of Pakistan. The process will follow Article 175A, Clause 3, of the Constitution, under which the current Chief Justice will propose a panel of three senior judges to the committee. From this panel, the committee will select one judge for the appointment, and the decision will be forwarded to the Prime Minister, who will advise the President on the final selection.

The committee will consist of 12 members—8 from the National Assembly and 4 from the Senate, as specified in Article 175A, Clause 3A. The Chief Justice is required to submit the names of the three judges to the committee three days before his retirement, according to Article 175A, Clause 3C.

This amendment was passed by a majority in both the Senate and the National Assembly, marking a new era in judicial appointments in Pakistan.