Punjab, KP polls case mired in controversy as four SC judges recuse themselves from hearing
ISLAMABAD (MNP) – Four judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Monday dissociated themselves from the nine-member bench hearing a suo motu case related to delay in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections.
A nine-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, was set to take up the case but the hearing could not be resumed due to divide in the bench.
Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Mazahar Ali Naqvi have recused from hearing the case and asked the chief justice to constitue a new bench for the case.
In the previous hearing, the PML-N, the PPP, the JUI-F and other parties raised objection against two judges of the nine-member bench of the apex court, saying a full bench should be made to hear the case.The ruling coaltition has also submitted an application seeking formation of the full bench case.
