Following three years of debate in committee, the House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation that paves the way for broad reform of the justice system.
By a vote of 51 for and one against, the plenary voted through the 17th amendment to the constitution, which allows for the re-activation of the Supreme Constitutional Court – suspended under the so-called ‘law of necessity’ ever since the Turkish Cypriot community withdrew from the functions of the state.
During this time the jurisdictions of the Supreme Constitutional Court had been assigned to the Supreme Court. Now, both courts will operate again.
The constitutional amendment clears the path for the enactment of two separate items of legislation aimed at reforming the judicial system. In addition to having a Supreme Court and a Supreme Constitutional court, the bills provide for the establishment of an Appellate Court.
In parliament on Thursday, MPs also voted through an amendment tabled by Akel’s Aristos Damianou, by which the Supreme Court maintains exclusive jurisdiction over issuing writs of habeas corpus and writs of certiorari.
In a written statement, attorney-general Giorgos Savvides called the passage of the constitutional amendment a ‘historic day.”
More later.
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