ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) will tomorrow (Tuesday) announce its verdict on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to delay polls to the Punjab Assembly till October 8.
Earlier, a three-member bench of the apex court — headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar — reserved the judgment after hearing the counsels of all parties, including the ruling alliance, the PTI, the ECP and others.
Earlier in today’s hearing, CJP Bandial once again dismissed the government’s demand to form a full court to hear PTI’s petition.
Justice Bandial said he had discussed the matter with senior judges of the top court in the past few days.
Govt’s request to form full court bench
Ahead of the crucial hearing today, the Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government, through Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awan, submitted a statement requesting the formation of a full court to hear the case.
The government in its plea requested the SC to dismiss PTI’s petition over the delay in Punjab Assembly polls in view of the majority 4-3 order/judgment of March 1. It also sought postponement of the proceedings in the instant petition in light of the order passed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
“This Hon’ble Bench, in view of submissions made in paragraphs 11 and 12, may graciously recuse from hearing the instant petition and a bench comprising of all remaining Hon’ble Judges of this court, who did not hear SMC No. 1/2023, CPs No 1 and 2 of 2023, may kindly be constituted to decide the questions raised herein,” it requested.
The top court had in a 3-2 verdict, ruled on March 1 that polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — both of which have been under caretaker setups since the provincial assemblies were dissolved in January — should be held within 90 days.
On Saturday, the Pakistan Democratic Movement ruling alliance after a meeting in Lahore expressed “no confidence” in the three-member SC bench hearing PTI’s petition and requested to form a full court.
