Only Supreme Judicial Council can act against apex, high courts judges: SC

Supreme Court has issued detailed decision on intra-court appeal in Nazar Abbas contempt of court case. The 11-page decision has been written by Justice Jamal Mandokhel, reported 24NewsHDTV Channel. 

The verdict said intra-court appeal against contempt of court was accepted and contempt proceedings against Additional Registrar Nazar Abbas was terminated. Supreme Court raised a question whether contempt of court proceedings were possible against judges included in the Constitutional and Regular Committees as under Article 199, Supreme Court and High Court judges have immunity in administrative matters, the decision said. 

The judges were protected from internal and external interference. A judge cannot file any writ or action against a judge of his own court. According to the Muhammad Ikram Chaudhry case decision, action against judges is not possible, verdict said. 

Judiciary is the main pillar as the guardian of the rule of law in a democratic state, judgment said. 

It is settled that a judge of the Supreme Court or a High Court is not answerable to a judge of the same court, judgment. It added that when a judge of a higher court cannot issue a writ against his own judge, how can he take contempt of court action. Only the Supreme Judicial Council can take action against a Supreme Court or High Court judge, the verdict. Article 209 prohibits action against a judge in any forum other than the Judicial Council, the verdict said.