ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: The top legal policy-making body of the country on Saturday took serious note of corruption allegations in subordinate judiciary and asked the high court authorities to frequently conduct surprise visits of lower courts to check the menace.Presided over by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, a meeting of the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC), held at the Supreme Court building, called for ‘zero tolerance’ towards corruption in the lower courts. It said deviation from the law in court judgments was a result of corrupt practices.

The committee also discussed the current price hike and called for evolving an effective mechanism to control prices.

The NJPMC, a body established to coordinate and harmonise judicial policy within the court system and ensure its implementation, maintained that price control magistrates were appointed by provincial governments under the Consumer Protection Act without consulting high courts, but the magistrates had not been effective in controlling prices.

It expressed concern over delay in disposal of cases and observed that the bar and bench had equal responsibility in quick case disposal. It also discussed the trial of minor accused under the Juvenile Justice System Ordinance, 2000, and decided that the high courts should direct the lower courts to prepare a checklist of every case before taking cognizance of an offence to see whether the accused was minor or not. In case it was determined that the accused was a minor/juvenile, the trial should be conducted in accordance with the ordinance.

Delay in implementation of the automation plan of the Supreme Court, Federal Shariat Court and the high courts also came under discussion. The committee called for early completion of the project.

The meeting was attended by Chief Justice of Federal Shariat Court Justice Haziqul Khairi, Chief Justice of Sindh High Court Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed; Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court Justice Tariq Pervez and Chief Justice of High Court of Balochistan Justice Amanullah Khan.