LAHORE, June 7: The Lahore High Court may have 11 more judges, as efforts are being made that they are appointed before the summer vacation beginning in the second week of July. LHC Chief Justice Iftikhar Husain Chaudhry is said to have prepared a list of 11 judges, which he is likely to send to the new chief justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, soon after he will take over the office on June 26 upon retirement of Justice Nazim Husain Siddiqui.

According to sources, both the chief justices have already talked to each other for the appointment of new judges in the LHC and the list of 11 judges was finalized after mutual consultation.

The appointment of more judges has been necessitated because three of the already working are due to retire after reaching superannuation in 2005. Justice Farrukh Latif is due to retire on June 9 and Justice Tanvir Bashir Ansari on June 26. Justice Rustam Ali Malik is retiring on Sept 10.

The high court is currently working with 41 judges against a sanctioned strength of 50. After the retirement of three more judges, the vacancies will rise to 12.

Justices Syed Jamshed Ali Shah and Muhammad Akhtar Shabbir are said to be indisposed and not working full court hours. As a result, the LHC is virtually working with 36 judges.