Lower House approves amended draft bill on Sharia courts

AMMAN — The Lower House on Monday approved the amended draft law on the establishment of Sharia courts for the year 2023.The bill received the green light after extensive discussions and incorporating several proposals and limited amendments recommended by the parliamentary legal committee, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The rationale behind this bill is to align it with recent constitutional amendments addressing specific provisions regarding the Sharia Court Chief Justice appointment. It also aims to strengthen and regulate the judicial inspection operations for optimal performance, outline clear criteria for transitions within the Sharia courts, and define qualifications for the position of Sharia judge. The House also ordained the Judicial Council to impose disciplinary sanctions on Sharia judges, including warnings, withholding annual increments for one or more years, demotion by one or more ranks, termination of service, or dismissal.