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LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court (LHC) has referred the petitions filed against the 27th Constitutional Amendment to a larger three-member bench.
LHC Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal on Friday took up the petitions filed by lawyer Muhammad Shahid Rana and Hassan Latif Chaudhry.
The petitioners argued that the creation of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), which was formed under the amendment, has effectively made the Supreme Court an unconstitutional court.
They argued that the amendment had curtailed judicial authority, jeopardizing judicial independence. They argued that the change was made without consulting the provinces, affecting the constitutional framework.
The petitioners asked the court to declare the transfer of cases to the FCC invalid and declare the 27th Amendment unconstitutional and strike it down. The Prime Minister, the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Federal Ministry of Law have been named as respondents in the case.
Some lawyers in Karachi have also challenged the 27th constitutional amendment in the Sindh High Court (SHC). The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) has also announced that it will challenge the change in the Supreme Court.
The PML-N-led government brought major changes to the country’s judicial system, first through the 26th Constitutional Amendment that was bulldozed through Parliament in October 2024 and later by the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
