A nine-member larger bench of the Supreme Court (SC), hearing suo moto notice taken on the delay in the Punjab and KP elections date has been dissolved on Monday after the recusal of four judges. The government on Friday raised objection over the two judges of the Supreme Court (SC), hearing the case pertaining to the delay in the election date announcements for Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assemblies.

At the outset of the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial remarked two judges on whose objections were raised by the political parties have recused themselves from the hearing of the case.  “Two more judges have also separated themselves from the 9-member larger bench.”

Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Yahya Afridi recused themselves from hearing the case. The CJP said the hearing of the case to continue for the interpretation of the constitution. The top judge observed that the dissenting note of Justice Mandokhel was leaked on social media even before the order of the hearing on the SC website.

After the recusal of the four judges, a five-member bench including CJP Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Jamal Mandokhel, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Muhammad Ali Shah heard the case.The CJP said the SC has to finished hearing of the case tomorrow.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP