Appointment of SC judge: IHC gives petitioner time to submit documents.

ISLAMABAD, 07 May , 2009 (Balochistan Times) -- The Islamabad High Court here Thursday adjourned till a date in office hearing of an intra-court appeal against appointment of Justice Sheikh Hakim Ali as judge of the Supreme Court. The court granted time to the petitioner, advocate Riaz A. Rahi, to submit relevant documents regarding the matter. A division bench comprising Justice Arshad Tabraiz and Justice Syed Intikhab Hussain Shah heard the arguments of the petitioner, who has filed the intra-court appeal against single bench decision of March 16. The petitioner contended that Justice Sheikh Hakim Ali, who was elevated to the apex court through a notification, did not have the five-year experience required under the Article 177 (2) (a) of the constitution. He said his 10-year experience or more as advocate of High Court had already been considered under Article 193 (2) (b) when he was made Judge of the High Court on September 3, 2003. According to him there was no law allowing advantage on the basis of same experience for the second time, he said. The single bench of Justice Mohammad Munir Paracha in its detailed judgement on March 16 over a quo warranto against appointment of a Supreme Court Judge upheld that a person was qualified to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court, if he fulfilled either the condition mentioned in clause a or clause b of Article 177 (2) of the Constitution.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)