SC issues contempt notice to additional registrar over case rescheduling

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday issued a show-cause notice to the Additional Registrar Judicial Nazar Abbas for contempt of court, ordering him to appear in person.

Additional Registrar was summoned over the scheduling of cases without adhering to judicial orders.

Senior judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah who heads the three-member bench hearing the matter –  expressed surprise at being unaware of a Judges Committee meeting despite being a member of the committee.

During the hearing today, Barrister Salahuddin appeared before the bench and raised concerns about the scheduling of his case.

He informed Justice Mansoor that the court had ordered to fix the case today, but the cause list was not issued. “I came from Karachi, but the case was not scheduled for hearing today,” he said.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah summoned the Additional Registrar but Deputy Registrar Zulfiqar Ahmed appeared before the court.

He informed the court that a Judges Committee meeting had decided to fix the case for hearing before the Constitutional Bench on January 27.

Justice Shah remarked, “I am also a member of the committee, I have been unaware of it.”

Justice Ayisha Malik asked why the cause list for the entire week had been changed and demanded a written order in this respect.

The court directed the Deputy Registrar to provide the minutes of the Judges Committee meeting and clarify the changes made to the case schedule. “We need transparency in how decisions are being made about case allocations,” remarked Justice Shah.

Over the issues, the court issued a show-cause notice to the Additional Registrar Judicial and directed him to appear in person on Tuesday to explain the situation.