LAHORE - Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah says an automatic computerised system will soon be introduced at the lower courts for early disposal of cases and development of the existing judicial system.
Over 150,000 cases are, so far, pending before the Lahore High Court while around 1.3 million cases are with the lower courts; different steps are being taken to cater the backlog.
The CJ, during a meeting with court reporters yesterday, said that 13 vacant posts of judges will be filled soon on merit.
According to CJ Shah, the LHC has sought names of competent lawyers from the relevant bars and the candidates would be interviewed for their appointment as judges of the high court. The sanctioned strength of judges of the Lahore High Court is 60 of which 47 judges are working at present
Shedding light over the constitutional jurisdiction of the high court, Mansoor Ali Shah said that the LHC Principal Seat was the high court while the purpose of other benches was to facilitate the citizens. “A citizen can approach the LHC principal seat but filing petition before any regional bench is discretion of the litigant,” the chief justice explained to the reporters.
He said it is a constitutional matter and a seven-member larger bench had been constituted that would start proceedings by July 26.
A complaint cell has also been made functional while green benches and human rights’ cell would also be made functional soon, the CJ added.
He further said that a list of corrupt officials was being prepared who will be brought to action at any cost.
Yesterday, in an official press release issued by LHC media office, Justice Ayesha A Malik said that around 150,000 cases related to tax matters are lying pending before the Lahore High Court. She said Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah has given approval of case management plan to review all pending tax cases at the LHC.
The same official statement quoted Justice Malik saying “only 8000 tax cases are pending before the LHC” which would soon be decided as special benches were being established to deal with these cases.
She was addressing a program held under the aegis of Pakistan Tax Bar Association and Lahore Tax Bar Association at Murree.
Justice Sadaq Ali Khan, District & Sessions Judge Rawalpindi Khalid Navid Dar, A&D Judge Mian Shahzad Raza, Senior Civil Judge Qaisar Marl, Pakistan Tax Bar President Mohsin Nadeem, Lahore Tax Bar President Farhan Shahzad, other office bearers of the both bars and larger number of lawyers also present there on the occasion.
Justice Malik said that the Federal Board of Revenue should come up with complete details regarding the tax matters so that the tax cases could be decided on time.