The 26th Amendment
The 26th Constitutional Amendment of Pakistan, passed in October 2024, introduced significant changes to the country’s judicial framework by redefining the process of judicial appointments and tenure. Under this amendment, the Chief Justice of Pakistan is no longer appointed automatically on the basis of seniority; instead, a 12-member parliamentary committee selects the Chief Justice from among the three most senior judges of the Supreme Court, with a fixed, non-extendable term of three years. The amendment also restructured the Judicial Commission of Pakistan by increasing parliamentary representation, thereby reducing the proportion of judicial members and enhancing legislative influence in judicial appointments. Additionally, it established specialized constitutional benches to adjudicate constitutional matters and expanded the powers of the Supreme Judicial Council by allowing recommendations for the removal of judges on grounds of “inefficiency,” a term that remains broadly defined. Click here to read the full document.
