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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 Judge Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal on Friday accepted the petitions filed by lawyer Muhammad Shahid Rana and Hassan Latif Chaudhry.
The petitions argued that the establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) formed under the amendment has effectively turned the Supreme Court into an unconstitutional court.
They allege that the amendment had restricted judicial authority, putting judicial independence at risk. They maintained that the reform was made without consulting the provinces, affecting the constitutional framework.
The petitioners asked the court to declare the transfer of cases to the FCC void and declare the 27th Constitutional Amendment unconstitutional and repeal it. The prime minister, the speaker of the National Assembly and the Federal Ministry of Justice are listed as defendants in the case.
Some lawyers from Karachi have also challenged the 27th Constitutional Amendment before the Sindh High Court (SHC). The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) has also announced that it will challenge the amendment in the Supreme Court.
The PML-N-led government introduced major changes to the country’s judicial system, first through the 26th Constitutional Amendment passed by parliament in October 2024 and later through the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
