SC resumes election case hearing today

Ruling coalition likely to raise objections to the bench, demand a full court

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court will resume today [Monday] hearing of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) petition against the postponement of polls in Punjab.

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial will take up the case at 11:30 am.

Lawyers of the ruling coalition are expected to raise objections to the bench and reiterate their demand for the formation of a full court to decide the matter. In case the bench once again turns down the request, the ruling coalition will boycott the proceedings.

On Saturday, the ruling alliance held a meeting in which it expressed its lack of confidence in the three-judge bench comprising CJP Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Muneeb Akhtar and decided not to accept any verdict issued by the bench.

After the meeting, the country’s top security czar said the incumbent coalition government might file references against the three Supreme Court judges.

“The possibility of filing references against the judges cannot be ruled out,” said Federal Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah on Saturday while talking to Express News’ anchor Rehman Azhar.