ISLAMABAD, Jan 4: Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan suggested on Friday constitutional amendments to make the accountability mechanism for the judges of superior courts more effective and functional.

In the foreword of the Annual Report 2001, the chief justice devoted considerable space to Supreme Judicial Council, a body which is in hibernation since 1978. In last 50 years, only four cases have been referred to it, last being the Justice Safdar Shah case.

“In order to make the Supreme Judicial Council effective and functional, Article 209 of the Constitution should be suitably amended, at the appropriate time, so as to make the recommendations of the council binding on the president,” the outgoing chief justice said.

Unlike the previous such annual reports in which the chief justice had reiterated that validation of the military government under the doctrine of necessity was conditional and elections had to be held before Oct 11, 2002, this time no such affirmation has been made.

Chief Justice Irshad Hasan, in whose leadership the Supreme Court which had invoked dead doctrine of necessity to validate the military takeover, however, did mention the “road map” for the revival of civilian rule in the country.

Chief Justice Irshad laid great emphasis on the disposal of the cases during his tenure. He made nostalgic mention of the fact that he was retiring from the Supreme Court.

The report gives complete detail of judicial and administrative activities of the apex court during the year 2001. The report also carries 92 pictures of Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan and his family members.

The chief justice stated that ever since the assumption of office as the Chief Justice of Pakistan he had initiated various measures to address the longstanding problems of backlog and delays in the dispensation of justice.

He said a record number of 12,509 cases were decided in 2001.