Apex court to take up ECP plea on PTI contempt cases on 15th.

ISLAMABAD -- The SupAreme Court will take up on Nov 15 the Election ComAmission of Pakistan's (ECP) plea to consolidate and transfer all six challenges to its contempt notice against PTI leaders, including its chief Imran Khan, pending before different high courts.

Headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, a three-judge SupAreAme Court bench, which will take up the case, will also consist of Justice Ayesha Malik and the newly elevated Justice Athar Minallah.

The petition was moved through Advocate Sajeel Sheryar Swati on behalf of the ECP with a request to order consolidation of all six petitions before one high court instead of defending the commission's stance over the issuance of contempt notices against PTI leaders in different high courts.

Later, the ECP again moved the apex court seeking setting aside of various high court orders in favour of the PTI leaders, including Mr Khan, who had challenged the contempt notices issued to them.

The fresh application contended that ever since the grant of interim relief to PTI leaders by different courts that the ECP could continue with its contempt matter but not pass any final order till the outcome of the petitions before the high courts, the leaders were avoiding appearance before the commission. BeAAsides, the high courts' ordAers had effectively brought the commission to a standstill.

It argued that the...