Five judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), whose representation against the seniority list was rejected by Chief Justice (CJ) Justice Aamer Farooq, has challenged the revised seniority list in the Supreme Court, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The petition submitted in the Supreme Court on Thursday by senior lawyers Munir A Malik and Barrister Salahuddin.
The IHC justices has urged the apex court to bar Acting IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarafraz Dogar from working and declare that President of the State did not enjoy “unlimited powers” to transfer judges.
They argued that the judges cannot be transferred from one high court to other high court unless it’s a matter of public interest.
The five judges urged the Supreme Court to also stop other two transferred judges in the IHC from working.
The judges had earlier filed a representation against placing Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar, who was transferred from the Lahore High Court to the IHC, on the top of the seniority list.
A week ago, Justice Farooq had rejected a representation filed by five judges against changes in judicial seniority, thus upholding the seniority list revised following the transfer of judges from three provincial high courts and paved the way for the nomination of a Justice Dogar for the chief justice’s position, which will fall vacant after the elevation of CJ Justice Aamer Farooq to Supreme Court.
Justice Dogar had originally taken oath as a high court judge in June 2015.
The decision affirmed that judges transferred from provincial high courts did not require a fresh oath, as there is a distinction between judicial appointments and transfers.
Reporters: Amanat Gishkori and Ehtesham Kiyani