Supreme Judicial Council Updates Code of Conduct for Superior Court Judges

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has approved amendments to the Code of Conduct for judges, now permitting superior court judges to attend or preside over political and diplomatic functions, provided they obtain prior authorization from their respective chief justices.

The decision was reached during a June 11 meeting chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi. The session, which focused on the draft Rules Regulating Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Council, was also attended by Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) Justice Aminuddin, as well as the chief justices of the Lahore and Peshawar high courts.

According to an official announcement released on Saturday, the updated code modifies previous restrictions. Under the former Article XII, judges of superior courts were strictly prohibited from participating in any social, cultural, political, or diplomatic events. The new amendment relaxes this ban, making participation permissible with official approval.

Additionally, the definition of “superior court” has been expanded to include the newly established Federal Constitutional Court. Consequently, the document has been renamed the “Code of Conduct for Judges of the Federal Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and the High Courts.”

Significant updates were also made to Article XV, which emphasizes that judges must decide cases solely on merit, maintaining the moral integrity and intellectual independence required to resist internal or external pressures. In instances where legal powers are insufficient to counter such influence, judges are required to seek an immediate institutional response.

The amended guidelines stipulate that judges must promptly notify the chief justice of their relevant high court, the CJP, the chief justice of the FCC or the Supreme Court, and the two senior-most judges of both the FCC and the Supreme Court in writing via the respective registrars if attempts to influence their decisions occur.

For judges within the FCC or the Supreme Court, notification must be sent in writing to their chief justice and the four most senior judges of that court.

Upon receiving such a report, the chief justice of a high court is required to present the matter to a three-judge committee within two days. This committee must reach a decision within two weeks. If the matter requires judicial determination, it will be resolved as expeditiously as possible, adhering to the principles of due process and a fair trial.

If the chief justice or the designated committee fails to respond within the established timeframe, the matter will be escalated to the FCC or the Supreme Court, depending on which body was originally notified.

The Federal Constitutional Court was established as Pakistan’s apex court following the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill in November 2025, transitioning the Supreme Court into a final appellate court for civil and criminal proceedings.

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