Supreme Court rules high courts can’t take suo motu notice

While annulling the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) decision of forming a committee for determining the prices of livestock and poultry products, the Supreme Court Tuesday ruled that the high courts could not exercise the power of taking suo motu notice, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The apex court in its ruling said that the high courts did not have the authority to take suo motu notice under Article 199 of the Constitution.

“Only the Supreme Court has the power to take suo motu notice under Article 184/3,” it added.

The PHC had ordered the formation of a committee to determine the prices of livestock and poultry products.

It had ordered the government officials to visit the markets to ensure the sale of quality milk and other commodities.

Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan wrote an eight-page judgment.

He, in his ruling, said that only the issue of the goods’ prices was being heard by the high court. “The high court has exercised the power of suo motu notice more than once,” the ruling said.

“The high court decided to ban the export of poultry products,” it added.

“The authority to import and export goods is not with the court but with the administration only,” it stated.

“The high court not only took suo motu notice but also interfered in the administrative affairs,” it remarked. “There are several flaws in the decision of the high court,” it pointed out.

Reporter: Amanat Gishkori