SC resumes hearing in Punjab CM election case

Islamabad: The Supreme Court has Tuesday (today) resumed hearing of the petition lodged by Pakistan Muslim League Q (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi against Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari's ruling in the recently-held chief minister’s re-election. 

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Atta Bandial, comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar is hearing the petition. 

Strict security arrangements are in place in and around the apex court.

Moreover, a police force is stationed outside courtroom number 1, while registered beat reporters from the media are allowed to enter the courtroom. 

It is pertinent to mention here that the coalition government members on Monday decided to boycott the Supreme Court of Pakistan's hearing scheduled to be held today (Tuesday) to announce the verdict in the run-off Punjab Chief Minister's election. 

The announcement came at a press conference jointly addressed by the Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) leadership following the Supreme Court's decision to continue the hearing on the Punjab chief minister's election with the current three-member bench.  

During the previous hearing, the top court rejected the request coalition govt to form a full court, saying that the existing three-member bench will hear the case.