Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar requests CJP to form full court comprising 13 judges for hearing of Punjab, KP polls’ petitions

ISLAMABAD, Mar 28 (SABAH): Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Chaudhry Azam Nazir Tarar Advocate on Tuesday appealed to Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial to form a full court bench to hear petitions regarding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Azam Nazir Tarar said that two judges Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi had recused from hearing this case, adding that the full court comprising all remaining 13 judges should be constituted for the hearing of this case.

He made the appeal while speaking to media outside the Supreme Court of Pakistan before the hearing of a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf over delay in elections. He said three major parties of the ruling coalition – PML-N, PPP and JUI-F – had decided to become a party in the case, adding that petitions in this regard would be submitted in the apex court.

Speaking about the detailed dissenting notes of Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail in the suo motu case on Punjab election date, he said they vindicated his stance that the suo motu case was dismissed by 4-3.

He further said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was not bound by any decision, adding that the institution was discharging its duty under Article 218 (3) of the Constitution. He further said it was not his job to give legal advice to the electoral body.