[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text dp_text_size=”size-4″]ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court’s five-member bench was dissolved on Thursday after Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan recused himself from hearing the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa polls date case, ahead of the resumption of today’s proceedings.
Today, the Supreme Court was scheduled to resume hearing on Pakistan Tehreek-e-(PTI) Insaf’s petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
However, when the five-member larger bench hearing the case, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprised of Justices Ijaz Ul Ahsan, Munib Akhtar, Amin-Ud-Din Khan, and Jamal Khan Mandokhail, arrived in courtroom No. 1, Justice Khan recused himself.
On the bench’s arrival, Justice Khan stated, “In light of Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s verdict, I recuse myself from hearing the case.”
Also Read: National Assembly unanimously passes bill to limit CJP’s suo moto powers.
The bench then exited the courtroom.
Following the development, a new bench will be appointed to hear the case.
With a two-to-one majority, a special Supreme Court bench led by Justice Isa ordered the suspension of all suo motu cases under Article 184(3) of the Constitution until the Supreme Court Rules governing the chief justice’s discretionary powers were amended.
The case hearing was scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m., but it was postponed until 12 p.m.
According to sources, the judges have been conferring on the order on 184(3) proceedings, which has Justice Khan’s signature. According to sources, the judges deliberated on whether the order applied to this case.
Also Read: CJP says, “Election commission had no right to postpone elections”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
