Re: Justice Rana Bhagwandas
http://news.aaj.tv/news.php?pg=3&show=detail&nid=61080
ACJP advises patience on Presidential reference
KARACHI ( 2007-03-24 14:42:57 ) : Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Rana Baghwandas on Saturday said that the matter about the Presidential reference against Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary is subjudice before the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and any comments on the same should be avoided.
He also said that let the SJC decide about the Presidential reference against Justice Iftikhar and wait for the verdict of the Council.
The Acting CJ stated this while talking to media after taking oath as Acting CJ of Pakistan at a ceremony held at SCP Karachi Registry.
**Earlier, the second senior most judge of the apex Court of Pakistan, Justice Javed Iqbal, administered the oath from Justice Rana Baghwandas.
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To a question, he stated that the SJC would also hear the arguments of Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary to decide about the objections raised by him about composition of the Council.
Acting CJ said the SJC would also decided about holding open proceedings into the Presidential reference against Justice Chaudhary.
He said that he was not entitled to give any verdict, single handedly, about the Presidential reference against Justice Iftikhar as the matter would be taken up by the SJC as a whole.
He said that “this is subjudice before the SJC, so the issue would be taken care of when hearing takes place at SJC and arguments are advanced”.
**Replying to a query, acting CJ said that the SJC would also decide about other pending reference before the council against other judges.
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He also said that all possible measures would be taken in accordance with the constitution and law to maintain the supremacy of law in the country.
Earlier, on arrival at oath taking, the second senior most judge of the SCP after Justice Rana Baghwandas, Justice Javed Iqbal, said that the SJC is competent authority to decide about the Presidential reference against Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary.
Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2007