Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has ruled that prolonged reserved judgments in superior courts are unlawful, declaring that verdicts issued beyond the prescribed time frame may be invalid.
The seven-page judgment, authored by Justice Aamir Farooq, was issued in response to a petition filed by the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation against a ruling by the Sindh High Court in a pension dispute case.
The court held that high courts are bound to deliver reserved judgments within 90 days, emphasizing that the procedural rules of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and high courts carry the force of law and must be strictly followed.
It further stated that any verdict delivered after the stipulated period could be declared void solely on that basis, warning that violations of procedural timelines should have legal consequences.
The FCC also underscored that judges and court staff are fully bound by procedural rules, adding that even unintentional leaks of judgments or key observations prior to official announcement constitute a breach of court regulations.
According to the ruling, if such leaks occur, the head of the bench may order a fresh hearing, which can be conducted either by the same bench or a newly constituted one.
The court directed that cases involving such irregularities in high courts be referred to the respective chief justice, while similar matters in the Supreme Court should be sent to the judges’ committee for action.
The judgment noted an increasing trend of delayed reserved verdicts, observing that litigants often face extended uncertainty while awaiting decisions. It added that judgments are typically reserved due to legal complexities or lack of consensus among judges.
The FCC cited a case in which the Sindh High Court took approximately 10 months to issue a reserved judgment, highlighting concerns over delays.
In the same ruling, the court disposed of the appeal filed by the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation and set aside certain observations made by the Sindh High Court.
The FCC directed that copies of the judgment be circulated to all high courts to ensure implementation of the ruling.