Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023

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 THE SUPREME COURT (PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE) 
ACT, 2023 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title and commencement 
2. Practice and Procedure of the Supreme Court 
2A.  Practice and procedure of Constitutional Benches  
3. [Omitted] 
4. [Omitted] 
5. [Omitted] 
6. Right to appoint counsel of choice 
7. Application for fixation of urgent matters 
7A Hearing, etc. 
7B. Recording and transcript of proceedings 
8. Act to override other laws etc. 
  
 

 
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THE SUPREME COURT (PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE) 
ACT, 2023 
 
 
ACT No. XVII of 2023 
[21st April, 2023] 
AN  
 
ACT 
to provide for certain practices and procedures of the Supreme Court 
1[WHEREAS Articles 191 2[**] of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan enables 
the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) to provide for the practice and procedure of the Supreme Court 
2[***];] 
 It is hereby enacted as follows:__ 
1. Short title and commencement.__ (1) This Act shall be called the Supreme Court (Practice 
and Procedure) Act, 2023. 
1[(2) It shall come into force at once and shall be deemed to have taken effect on and from the 
date of commencement of the Constitution (Twenty-sixth Amendment) Act, 2024 (XXVI of 2024).] 
2[2. Practice and Procedure of the Supreme Court. __(1) Every cause, matter, petition, appeal 
or review application before the Supreme Court, shal1 be heard and disposed of by a Bench constituted 
by the Committee comprising the Chief Justice, the next senior most Judge in order of seniority and a 
Judge to be nominated by the Chief Justice: 
 Provided that if a member for any reason is unable to attend meeting of the Committee, the 
Chief Justice may nominate any other Judge of the Supreme Court as a member of the Committee.  
(2) The decisions of the Committee shal1 be by majority.] 
1[2A. Practice and procedure of Constitutional Benches. __ (1) Where a question arises as to 
whether a cause, matter, petition, appeal or review application falls within clause (3) of Article 191A 
of the Constitution and is to be heard and disposed of by a Constitutional Bench or another Bench of 
the Supreme Cour t, the committee constituted under clause (4) of Article 191A of the Constitution 
shall, through a speaking order, determine the question and if it decides that a matter__  
(a)  falls within clause (3) of Article 191A of the Constitution, assign it to a 
Constitutional Bench for hearing and disposal; or  
(b)  does not fall within clause (3) of Article 191A of the Constitution, send it to the 
Committee constituted under section 2 for disposal by another Bench. 
(2) The Registrar of the Supreme Court of Pakista n shall provide the requisite administrative 
and secretarial support to the Constitutional Benches.  
(3) Subject to the availability of Judges, Constitutional Benches shall comprise equal number 
of Judges from each Province.] 
1Subs. by Act No. XXXI of 2024, ss. 2-5. 
2Omitted and subs. by Act No. XXXVI of 2025, ss. 2-3 (w.e.f. 13-11-2025). 
 
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3. 1[* * * * * * *] 
4. 1[* * * * * * *] 
5. 2[* * * * * * *] 
6. Right to appoint counsel of choice.__ For filing a review application under Article 188 of 
the Constitution, a party shall have the right to appoint counsel of its choice. 
Explanation: For the purpose of this section, ‘counsel’ shall mean an Advocate of the Supreme 
Court. 
7. Application for fixation of urgent matters.__ An application pleading urgency or seeking 
interim relief, filed in a cause, appeal or matter, shall be fixed for hearing within fourteen days from 
the date of its filing. 
1[7A. Hearing, etc. __ Unless law requires a decision within a stipulated period, every cause, 
matter or appeal in the Supreme Court shall be heard at its turn based on first in, first out, which is to 
say, the cases filed first shall be heard first. 
7B. Recording and transcript of proceedings.__ Hearing of every cause, matter or appeal in 
the Supreme Court shall be recorded and transcript thereof duly prepared. For the purposes of reliance 
thereon in any court proceedings, only a certified copy of the transcript against payment  of a fee 
amounting to Rupees fifty per page shall be used.] 
8. Act to override other laws e tc.— The provisions of this Act shall have effect 
notwithstanding anything contained in any other law, rules or regulations for the time being in force 
or judgment of any Court including the Supreme Court and a High Court. 
 
 
_______ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
          RGN Dated 17-11-2025 
 
1Omitted and ins. by Act No. XXXI of 2024, ss. 6 and 8. 
2Omitted by Act No. XXXVI of 2025, s. 4 (w.e.f. 13-11-2025).