SC reserves right to take notice of any issue: CJ

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Thursday said the Supreme Court reserved the judicial authority to take notice of any issue.
Addressing a full court session, the chief justice said no institution in the country had the right to interfere in another institution’s domain, adding that the judiciary was a role model for other state institutions.
He said the objective of the meeting was to improve the court functions and deliver to the beneficiaries of the justice system, meaning the litigants, and those who had approached the court for seeking relief for violation of their rights and restoration of rights and entitlements.
The chief justice added that no institution could establish good governance in the country on its own.
He said per the prescribed principles enshrined in the constitution, every organ of the state had to perform its duties and functions within the mandated sphere. “Institutions also strive to excel others and perform better, which is a welcome sign, as it is better for service to the people.”
“However, the superior judiciary enjoys the cross cutting jurisdiction empowering it to carry out the role of oversight and ensure that no institution or department or authority may interfere in the domain of the other and further to check the unlawful or unauthorised or malafide act or exercise of authority. This power of the apex court, known as the power of judicial review, is a sacred trust that must be exercised in an independent and effective manner. It is a duty cast on the judiciary and the courts have to discharge it without fear or favour,” the chief justice said.
He said the judiciary was looked upon as one institution that was delivering the services to the people in an active manner.
“Therefore, it is incumbent upon the judiciary to come up to the peoples’ expectations and become a role model for all other institutions to follow. Although no one institution has capacity to provide good governance single handed, yet the institution of the judiciary due to its credibility and institutional mandate can inspire all others to do their duties in a transparent manner keeping in view the interest of people,” he stated.
The CJ expressed satisfaction with the pace at which cases were being concluded by the courts. He added that the people’s faith in the judiciary had been restored and they were consulting the courts more than ever before.
He said the judges’ hard work was leading to better results for the country.
Justice Chaudhry said he had sent recommendations to the federation to sort out the issue of shortage of judges in the country.
“I have not received any response, although six months have passed since making the request,” he added.
The chief justice said he was receiving petitions from all over the country regarding human rights violations.
Earlier, the full court meeting of the Supreme Court decided to hold an International Judicial Conference in the third week of April, 2013 per tradition established by the apex court.
Deliberating over the issue of institution, disposal of cases in the SC, the full court meeting noted that as against institution figure of 13,653 from January 1, 2012 to November 10, 2012 in the Supreme Court, the court decided 12,377 cases during the said period. The court noted with satisfaction that almost as many cases were decided as were filed.
“This success was due to the untiring efforts of the judges who worked hard and worked beyond official hours and even during the summer vacations,” the CJ noted.