The hearing of the election delay case continued on Monday as a three-member bench of the Supreme Court resumed proceedings.
The federal government had filed a fresh petition seeking the reconstitution of the bench hearing the case without the judges who had previously heard the election suo motu notice.
Before the scheduled hearing of the suo motu notice and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s order to delay the Punjab election to October 8, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan filed a miscellaneous plea in the apex court.
On Monday, a three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan resumed hearing the election delay case.
The hearing occurred after the federal government filed a new petition requesting the reconstitution of the bench without the judges who heard the election suo motu notice.
The Attorney General for Pakistan, Mansoor Usman Awan, filed a miscellaneous plea on behalf of the federation, requesting the dismissal of the election delay case in light of the majority (4-3) order of March 01.
The plea also requested the postponement of the proceedings in the instant petition, as per Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s order to postpone all proceedings in suo motu matters.
Also Read: Politics Over People: Deaths Mount In The Wake Of Power Struggles
The petition requested that the bench hearing the election delay case recuse themselves from the proceedings. A new bench comprising judges who did not hear the election suo motu notice should be formed to decide the questions raised in the case.
It further stated that the proceedings should be postponed in light of the order passed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa, postponing all proceedings in suo motu matters.
During a separate hearing, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry rejected the request to open entry routes to the Red Zone by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial.
Fawad had approached the CJP and asked him to take notice of the matter. Still, Justice Bandial stated that the administration was already taking necessary steps to ensure law and order.
The ruling coalition has expressed its lack of confidence in the three-member bench and has requested the formation of a full court to hear the election delay case.
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had expressed dissatisfaction with the bench hearing the case earlier. At the same time, the Attorney General for Pakistan and the Pakistan Bar Council had both requested the formation of a full court.
However, the Chief Justice-led bench rejected the government’s request. The court had summoned the secretaries of finance and defense for the hearing. The apex court had given the Attorney General time until Friday to submit a reply to the questions posed by the Election Commission regarding financial and security issues.
The ruling coalition has expressed its lack of confidence in the three-member bench and has requested the formation of a full court to hear the election delay case.
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had expressed dissatisfaction with the bench hearing the case earlier. At the same time, the Attorney General for Pakistan and the Pakistan Bar Council had both requested the formation of a full court.
However, the Chief Justice-led bench rejected the government’s request. The court had summoned the secretaries of finance and defense for the hearing. The apex court had given the Attorney General time until Friday to submit a reply to the questions posed by the Election Commission regarding financial and security issues.