ISLAMABAD: The draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment has been unveiled, with the federal government completing preparations to present it in Parliament. The landmark amendment proposes the establishment of a Federal Constitutional Court, along with major changes to several key articles of the Constitution to redefine judicial structure, military appointments, and institutional roles.
According to the draft, a new Federal Constitutional Court will be created through an addition to Article 175, outlining its structure, jurisdiction, and service terms under new Articles 175B to 175L. The court’s Chief Justice will serve a three-year term under Article 175I.
Key Proposed Amendments:
Article 175: Inclusion of the Federal Constitutional Court as a new judicial body.
Article 175A: Introduction of a revised procedure for the appointment of judges.
Article 184: Proposal to omit the article entirely from the Constitution.
Article 185: Redefinition of the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
Article 186: Deletion of the existing clause and inclusion of a new Article 186A.
Article 189: Amendment to make Federal Constitutional Court decisions binding on all other courts.
Article 191: Both the Supreme Court and Federal Constitutional Court will formulate their own procedural rules.
Article 243: Proposal to designate the Chief of Army Staff as the Chief of Defence Forces.
Article 243(5): Abolition of the post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.
Article 243(7): Lifetime protection of rank and privileges for a Field Marshal.
Article 260: Introduction of a new definition for “Technocrat.”
Article 209: Reconstitution of the Supreme Judicial Council.
Article 206: Judges who decline appointment to higher positions will be considered retired.
Article 130: Proposal to increase the number of provincial cabinet members.
Article 93: Increase in the number of advisers to the Prime Minister from five to seven.
Article 63A: Reference powers to be transferred to the Federal Constitutional Court.
Multiple clauses, including Articles 68, 78, 81, 114, and 165A, will be updated to incorporate references to the new court.
The amendment aims to establish a clearer separation of powers between the Supreme Court and the Federal Constitutional Court, assigning each distinct constitutional jurisdictions.