LAHORE – In order to avoid any controversy and criticism on the recruitments of judges in subordinate judiciary like the past, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed has declared the qualifying NTS test compulsory for making the recruitment system of Addl District and Sessions Judges in subordinate courts more transparent.
On the other hand a petition pending before the Lahore High Court said that 220 civil judges-cum-judicial magistrates had been recruited throughout the Punjab directly by the LHC during the tenure of former chief justice of LHC Kh. Muhammad Sharif and out of them 195 civil judges were failed during the departmental examination.
The pending petition further disclosed that sixty eight civil judges had also been recommended by the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) and out of them 19 judges were failed in one paper while 15 were failed in two papers of department examination. The petition had sought the disqualification of these failed judges. Legal fraternity had also criticised the appointments of these failed judges.
However, the new chief justice Sheikh Azmat saeed has decided to make recruitment more fair and transparent.
According to a press release issued by Registrar LHC, an additional objective MCQs test for the recruitment of 25 Addl District and Sessions Judges under NTS will now be held on March 18 instead of March 11. It may be mentioned that there were only two examination papers relating to law for those candidates having 10 years legal practice whereas Chief Justice has also started this objective test under NTS for further improving the judicial system.
This step of Honourable Chief Justice will help induction of candidates having knowledge of other fields in addition to legal profession.