LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, soon after taking oath on Tuesday, took drastic steps to bring reforms along with self-accountability in the judicial system under him.

Justice Shah took oath as the 45th chief justice at a ceremony held at Governor House attended by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and others. Governor Rafiq Rajwana administered the oath to Justice Shah.

Resuming his work at the high court, Justice Shah issued notifications making 30 judicial officers of Punjab officers on special duty whose reputation had a question mark on them. The officers included three district and sessions judges, six additional district and sessions judges and 21 civil judges.

30 judicial officers made OSD

In order to curb the rising trend of misbehaviour in courts, restore a working relationship between the bar and the bench and establish effective monitoring against untoward incidents in courts, the chief justice constituted a ‘disciplinary committee’ comprising himself and six other judges of the high court to exercise powers under the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973.

Expressing concern over the protection of women judges’ rights in lower courts and hostile environment they faced at the hands of lawyers and others, the chief justice for the first time in the high court’s history constituted a Judicial Officers (female) Supervisory Committee to look into the issues relating to women judicial officers. The committee comprises Justice Kazim Raza Shamsi, Justice Ayesha A Malik and Justice Alia Neelum.

On his first day, the chief justice also constituted a seven-member Working Committee under his chairmanship to look after the affairs of the high court. The committee comprises Justice Shahid Hameed Dar, Justice Muhammad Yawar Ali, Justice Kazim Raza Shamsi, Justice Abdul Sami Khan, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, Justice Atir Mahmood, Justice Muhammad Tariq Abbasi, Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza, Justice Khalid Mahmood Malik and Justice Shahid Mubeen.

Administration Committee of the high court was also re-constituted in light of the new seniority list of judges.

Justice Shah also appointed for the first time a woman judicial officer as the new director general (DG) of Punjab Judicial Academy. “The chief justice, being chairperson of the board of management of Punjab Judicial Academy, has been pleased to appoint District and Sessions Judge Uzma Akhtar Chughtai as director general of the academy,” a notification read. Former DG of the academy retired Justice Shahid Saeed had resigned last week.

In his maiden speeches to judicial officers of the province and officers of the high court, Justice Shah vowed to take strict action against those found guilty of malpractice and misconduct. He said there would be merciless accountability in the judiciary. He made it clear that hard work would be well rewarded and wrongdoers dealt with an iron hand.

Justice Shah was elevated to the bench in 2009 and has since authored several judgements on constitutional law, human rights, administrative law and environmental sustainability.

Through several decisions, he was thought to be giving a tough time to the Punjab government. His decisions in the Lahore Jail Road Signal Free Zone and non-payment of pension to retired public servants were highly appreciated.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2016