Judicial review!

If disagreement among the honourable judges was any criterion, the dissolution of the five-member larger bench was very much on the cards. It turned into fait accompli as Justice Aminuddin Khan recused himself yesterday over simmering difference of opinion on the CJP's right to exercise his discretionary suo motu powers. Thus, the court seized with a fundamental issue of deciding over the fate of election to two provincial assemblies is back to square one, and it will have to dig its heels again if the petition questioning ECP's defiance is rescheduled for hearing. A day earlier, Justice Mandokhel's comments and the 28-page note of dissent had sealed the fate, and it was evident that a long and lengthy trial is round the corner as the ruling coalition was adamant that it will not hold polls within the constitutionally mandated 90 days, and the ECP is playing flute to the lacunas of law.

A lot of political engineering went into play as the parliament passed the bill to clip the CJP's privileges to constitute benches, and take suo motu action under Article 184(3). The new legislation has literally scrapped it down, perhaps bringing...

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