27th amendment bill tabled in Senate after cabinet approval

The Senate session, chaired by Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, began on Saturday during which Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill.

Earlier, the bill had been tabled in a meeting of the federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where it was approved.

The draft has now been presented before Senate members for debate, with lawmakers sharing their opinions on the proposed changes.

Key proposals in the 27th amendment

The bill proposes major structural changes in the judiciary and the military framework. It has also been forwarded to the relevant standing committee for further review.

According to the draft, a Federal Constitutional Court would be established to interpret the Constitution and resolve constitutional disputes. Some constitutional powers of the Supreme Court would be transferred to this new court.

The authority to take suo motu notices under Article 184 would be abolished, and all constitutional cases would be heard by the Federal Constitutional Court instead of the Supreme Court.

The proposed court would comprise a chief justice and judges representing all four provinces equally, with the chief justice serving a three-year term. The Supreme Court would continue to function as a court for appeals and general cases, while the decisions of the Federal Constitutional Court would be binding on all other courts in the country.