On Monday, the Sindh Assembly passed a resolution advocating for the establishment of constitutional benches within the province. The resolution was introduced by Zia Lanjar, the provincial minister for parliamentary affairs and home department, and received overwhelming support, passing with 123 votes in favor. In opposition, four members—three from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Mohammad Farooq from Jamaat-e-Islami—voted against the resolution. Members of the People’s Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lent their support to the measure. Prior to the assembly session, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had instructed its members to ensure their attendance by 10:00 AM. The move to form constitutional benches aligns with the recent passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which requires all provincial assemblies to endorse such resolutions. The proposed constitutional benches will operate within the Sindh High Court, as outlined in Article 202-A of the Constitution. According to sub-clause ii of this article, a senior judge among the appointed judges of the high court will preside over each constitutional bench, aiming to enhance judicial oversight and constitutional interpretation in the province.
