Senator Seeks Increase In S/Court Justices From 21 To 30
The senator representing Imo West district, Osita Izunaso, is seeking an increase in the number of jurists at the Supreme Court from 21 to 30.
The lawmaker decried the backlog of cases arising from long delays and adjournments of critical cases pending before the apex court.
To this effect, Izunaso said at the weekend that he had initiated a bill for necessary legislative action on the matter.
The senator argued that the present 21-member strength of the Supreme Court is grossly inadequate to cope with the large number of cases being referred to it almost on a daily basis.
Izunaso further noted that the 21 justices currently on the apex court’s bench are over burdened with cases being referred to them from the Court of Appeal or from the various ties of government for interpretation and adjudication.
Each Supreme Court panel is made up of five or seven justices, which means the court can constitute only three or five panels at a time.
Raising the number to 30 will allow the court to constitute six panels at a time, where a panel is made up of five members.
“Supreme Court justices typically sit in panels of five, or seven for constitutional matters. If we have 30 justices, it allows the formation of at least five panels simultaneously. That way, more cases can be handled at a faster pace,” he said.
Senator Seeks Increase In S/Court Justices From 21 To 30 is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
