SC constitutional bench to hear 62 cases

Issues cause list for a period from Nov 18 to 22

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court's Constitutional Bench is set to hear 62 cases, including the Audio Leaks Commission case, from November 18 to November 22.

On November 18 and 19, the bench will take up two tax-related cases consolidating a total of 1,840 petitions. On November 21 and 22, a six-member bench led by Justice Aminuddin Khan will hear various cases, with Justice Ayesha Malik absent from the bench during these sessions.

On November 21, the bench will hear petitions challenging the formation of the Audio Leaks Commission, filed by PTI founder Imran Khan and others.

Other significant cases include the Hamza Shahbaz v Chaudhry Parvez Elahi case, journalists' salary disputes, the suo motu case on mineral water, the PTI's petition against the Sindh Local Government Act, and the MQM's petition against the sixth population census.

Additional cases include a suo motu on foreign loans, corruption in the Sindh coal project, drug sales in educational institutions, and a 2016 petition on seniority in the Lahore High Court (LHC). A petition by Maulvi Iqbal Haider to declare the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) a parliamentary party is also scheduled.

On November 18, the bench will hear 1,178 consolidated tax-related petitions and a case regarding independent members joining political parties. On November 19, 11 cases, including a tax case with 662 associated petitions, are scheduled.

Fifteen petitions each will be heard on November 20 and November 21, while on the final day, November 22, 15 cases, including a suo motu on earthquake victims and a petition regarding digitization of the judicial system, are scheduled.

The bench will also hear a petition regarding the tenure of the army chief, filed by a litigant previously fined Rs40,000 for frivolous litigation.

A seven-member Constitutional Bench, formed on November 5, is led by Justice Aminuddin Khan and includes Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha Malik, Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Musarrat Hilali, and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.

On Nov 5, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) in its maiden session had picked Justice Amin as head of the constitutional bench by a seven-to-five majority.

Chaired by Chief Jus­tice of Pakistan (CJP) Jus­tice Yahya Afridi, the reconstituted JCP for­m­ed a seven-member con­stitutional bench, inc­­luding Justices Ami­nud Din Khan, Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Muha­m­mad Ali Mazhar, Ayesha A. Malik, Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Musarrat Hilali and Naeem Akhtar Afghan.

As per the minutes, for cases relating to appeals involving Clause 4 of Art­­icle 191A of the Cons­t­i­tution, a committee comprising the most senior judge of the constitutio­nal benches and the next two most senior jud­ges from among the jud­ges nominated under Cla­use 1 will constitute the bench consisting of not fewer than five judges.

The minutes also noted that a follow-up meeting will be scheduled once Justice Mando­khail returns from abroad.

During the meeting, Justice Aminud Din Khan was briefed on pending cases under Articles 184(1), 184(3) and 186, including human rights cases. A review of the current procedures for handling constitutional petitions and a proposed strategy for future operations were also presented.