ISLAMABAD: The government fiercely protested to the three-member bench hearing the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) election delay issue, therefore the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) will announce its ruling today (Tuesday).
The opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), filed a petition in the top court after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) postponed Punjab and KP elections to October 8.
Moreover, On March 27, the supreme court began hearing PTI’s case and reserved its judgement for April 4.
On March 27, the Supreme court accepted the plea and began hearing it. Over eight days, parties presented their arguments in six hearings.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Munib Akhtar, and Justice Ijazul Ahsan comprised a five-member bench.
On March 30, Judge Amin recused himself, citing a three-member bench’s Article 184(3) ruling that suspended proceedings.
Afterward, The bench reduced to CJP Bandial, Judge Mandokhail, Justice Akhtar, and Justice Ahsan.
On March 31, Judge Mandokhail recused himself, saying not consulted before the bench formed.
CJP Bandial, Judge Akhtar, and Justice Ahsan were appointed to hear the case.
The three-member panel, which will pronounce the judgement, heard from Punjab and KP advocate generals, Pakistan’s attorney general, ECP’s lawyer, and defence and finance secretaries.
Request for Full court
The coalition parties—PPP and PDM—requested a full court while the hearing was underway.
The supreme court denied their request. The coalition parties do not trust the three-member bench hearing the case and will not accept the decision.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the government will not accept a hasty Supreme Court judgement on a delicate and crucial topic.
Afterward, Parliament passed the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023, to limit the top justice’s powers during the hearing. President Arif Alvi has not signed it.
While, PTI stated they respect all judges and will accept court decisions.
“For us, all judges are respectable,” PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi told a television channel. “We only want a decision according to the Constitution.”
The PTI leader asked the ruling coalition to accept the SC judgement.
