A two-member bench of the Supreme Court Monday restrained chief settlement commissioner, deputy and assistant settlement commissioners from work.

The two-member bench headed by Justice Mian Saqib Nisar passed these orders while hearing a case regarding mismanagement in Settlement Department at Supreme Court Lahore Registry.

During the hearing, Chief Settlement Commissioner Saqib Aziz and Secretary Revenue Department Tariq Mehmood Zafar appeared before the bench on being summoned. The bench inquired that under what capacity, the chief settlement commissioner was working after expiry of the law.

To which, the Revenue Department’s counsel submitted that the government issued notification of his appointment and he was authorised to decide cases remanded by the high courts as well as pending cases.

At this, the bench remarked that the settlement law had expired and after its expiry, the working of settlement department was against the law.

The bench restraining Chief Settlement Commissioner Saqib Aziz, deputy and assistant settlement commissioners from work directed that they could work only as notified officers. The bench forwarding the request for formation of a three-member bench to hear the matter adjourned the hearing for indefinite period.