SHC asks district judges to uphold principles of justice, not engage in public controversies
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has issued a code of conduct for judges of district courts across the province and advised them to exercise authority with utmost efficiency, integrity and best to their ability and capacity since the judicial power is a sacred trust. It also stated that a judicial officer should not engage in any public controversies whether by speech, writing, debate or comment at…
Karachi: The Sindh High Court has published a code of conduct for district court judges in Sindh, emphasizing the importance of exercising authority with efficiency, integrity, and the highest level of competence. Judges are instructed not to engage in any public controversies, particularly on political matters, and must avoid interactions with the media, especially when issues may lead to public debate or negatively impact the judiciary's reputation.
The code also instructs judges to avoid unofficial visits to the High Court seeking audience with the Chief Justice or other judges without proper channels, except in hardship cases where prior permission from the registrar is required. The administrative committee, led by Chief Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput, approved the code, which asserts that judicial decisions should be based solely on principles of justice, equity, and conscience, and that judges must remain impartial and respectful to superiors and subservient.
The code also emphasizes the importance of learning and updating legal knowledge, maintaining independence, and avoiding conflicts of interest, including with close relatives or friends. Judges are prohibited from discussing judicial or administrative matters publicly and are discouraged from accepting invitations to be hosted in their honor by individuals or litigants.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
