ISLAMABAD: The political parties in the Pakistan Democratic Movement demanded a full court hearing of the suo motu case of delay in polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The political parties in the Pakistan Democratic Movement demanded a full court hearing of the suo motu case of delay in polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The PDM lawyer Farook H. Naik submitted this request to the Supreme Court on Friday during the hearing of the case.
The lawyer of the PDM also urged the two judges of the Supreme Court, Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi to withdraw from the nine-member bench hearing the suo motu notice.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial is heading the larger bench. The bench comprises Justice Ijazul Ahsen, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Mazahar Ali Naqvi, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Yahya Khan Afridi, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel.
On Thursday, the court issued notices to the President, federal government, attorney-general, and Election Commission of Pakistan. The court also issued notices to the advocate-generals of the four provinces, and advocate general of the Islamabad Capital Territory.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan took suo motu notice of a delay in the Punjab and KP assemblies’ polls on February 22.
Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel raised an objection to invoking suo motu jurisdiction over the delay in announcing the election dates. He said that the suo motu was not “justified.”
While the other two judges on the bench, Justices Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah, put up questions about the legality of the dissolution of the assemblies.
Justice Athar Minallah said that the people elect their representatives for a five-year term in Assemblies.
The CJP adjourned the hearing the case for Monday.
