SJC reviews judiciary purviews

MUSCAT: The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) reviewed the roles and purviews of the judiciary, as well as the jurisdictions of the Supreme Court and the Investment and Commercial Court, on Monday.
Speaking to participants in the 13th National Defence Course (NDC), Sayyid Khalifa bin Said al Busaidy, Chairman of the Supreme Court, said that litigation is a protected and guaranteed right for all under the Basic Law of the State issued by Royal Decree No 6/2021.
He noted that the judiciary plays a pivotal role in promoting the rule of law, safeguarding rights and freedoms and consolidating the principles of justice.
The Chairman of the Supreme Court explained that, pursuant to Royal Decree No 35/2022, the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) was restructured to be under the direct supervision of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, thereby enhancing the independence of the judiciary and enshrining the principle of separation of powers.
This restructuring included the establishment of an independent judicial body to manage judicial affairs free from any influence, granting the SJC broad powers to better manage the affairs of the courts and judges and setting objective criteria for selecting qualified and experienced judges with a focus on their qualification, training and continuous development of their capabilities.