Article 144 — Appointment of Justices of Superior Courts and Chairmen and other Members of Regional Tribunals

(1) The Chief Justice shall be appointed by the Pre sident acting in consultation with the Council of State and with the approval of Parliamen t. (2) The other Supreme Court Justices shall be appoi nted by the President acting on the advice of the Judicial Council, in consultation with the C ouncil of State and with the approval of Parliament. (3) Justices of the Court of Appeal and of the High Court and Chairmen of Regional Tribunals shall be appointed by the President acting on the a dvice of the Judicial Council. (4) Panel members of Regional Tribunals other than the Chairmen shall be appointed by the Chief Justice in consultation with the Regional Co- ordinating Council for the region and on the advice of the Judicial Council. (5) Justices of the Superior Courts and Chairmen of Regional Tribunals shall be appointed by warrant under the hand of the President and sealed by the Presidential seal. (6) Where the office of Chief Justice is vacant, or where the Chief Justice is for any reason unable to perform the functions of his office— (a) until a person has been appointed to, and has a ssumed the functions of, that office; or (b) until the person holding that office has resume d the functions of that office; as the case may be, those functions shall be performed by the most seni or of the Justices of the Supreme Court. (7) The office of a Justice of the Superior Court s hall not be abolished while there is a substantive holder in office. (8) A Chairman of a Regional Tribunal shall enjoy t he same salary, allowances, gratuity and pension conditions as a Justice of the High Court. (9) Where the office of a Justice of the High Court or a Chairman of the Regional Tribunal is vacant or for any reason, a Justice of the High Cou rt or a Chairman of the Regional Tribunal is unable to perform the functions of his office, o r if the Chief Justice advises the President that the state of business in the High Court or Reg ional Tribunal so requires, the President may, acting in accordance with the advice of the Ju dicial Council, appoint a person who has held office as, or a person qualified for appointme nt as, a Justice of the High Court or a Chairman of the Regional Tribunal to act as a Justi ce of the High Court or a Chairman of the Regional Tribunal. (10) A person appointed under clause (9) of this ar ticle to act as a Justice of the High Court or a Chairman of the Regional Tribunal shall continue to act for the period of his appointment or, where no period is specified, until his appointment is revoked by the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Judicial Council. (11) Notwtithstanding the expiration of the period of his appointment or the revocation of his appointment under clause (9) of this article, a per son appointed under clause (9) of this article may thereafter continue to act for a period not exc eeding six months, to enable him to deliver judgment or do any other thing in relation to proce edings that were commenced before him previous to the expiration or revocation.