SC rejects AGP's request for full court in election delay case.

A diminished Supreme Court bench - comprising three judges - on Friday rejected Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awan's request for the formation of a full court to hear PTI's petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan's decision to postpone elections to the Punjab Assembly till Oct 8.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar heard the case after the original five-member bench constituted for the matter was disbanded following the recusals of Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail.

The original bench included:

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial

Justice Ijazul Ahsan

Justice Munib Akhtar

Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail

Justice Aminuddin Khan

The recusal of Justice Mandokhail, which came a day after Justice Khan, took the apex court by surprise today and fuelled calls from government figures to constitute a full court to hear the case.

However, it was CJP Bandial, Justice Ahsan and Justice Akhtar who conducted the proceedings.

Key developments:

After Justice Khan, Justice Mandokhail recuses himself from bench hearing PTI petition on delay in elections in Punjab

Three-member bench comprising CJP Bandial, Justice Ahsan and Justice Akhtar hear the case

Court rejects government's request for full court

Justice Bandial urges PTI and government to hold dialogue and negotiate

CJP says SC judges being targeted based on hearsay

AGP says Pakistan running a deficit of Rs1,500 billion and interest rate expected to rise

SC summons secretaries of finance and defence to court; hearing adjourned till April 3

During the hearing, when the AGP requested the formation of a full court, Justice Bandial remarked that the court had conducted proceedings into the case for three complete days and that the inclusion of new judges to the bench will further waste time.

'It will take time for the new judges to understand the case,' he observed, adding that Article 184(3) of the Supreme Court Rules 1980 was clear on the matter.

Justice Akhtar also said that it was everyone's right to request a full court but the government giving the impression that benches were formed on 'favouritism' was a serious accusation. 'The Supreme Court has said that the CJP is the master of making benches,' he added.

'Monday's sun will bring good news'

As the proceeding commenced today, the chairman of the executive committee of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) appeared before the bench. However, the CJP said that the court will hear his arguments later.

'The bar has nothing to do with supporting anyone,' PBC's Hasan Raza Pasha stated. 'If not a full court bench, you can call a full court meeting.'

The CJP responded that he was pondering over it and went on to say that the SC judges shared good relations.

'Two judges recused themselves from the hearing today and yesterday,' he said, revealing that polite conversations took place between the judges both before the recusals and afterwards.

'We also talked about some reservations. Some political issues came up which were fuelled by the media and press conferences, but the court showed restraint throughout the matter.'

Justice Bandial noted that different SC judges were being criticised by different people and added that he was looking into the matter. 'Meet me in my chamber on this matter,' he told Pasha.

The CJP further stated that Pasha had appeared in court for the first time today and told him to prove himself through his actions and not words. 'I have been in contact with the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association ... we respect you, come to my chamber.'

Justice Bandial said that if the matter was only related to 'external image' then 'our lives would have been peaceful'.

'Media persons sometimes say wrong things but the court always shows restraint,' the CJP remarked, adding that he would hold some meetings after the hearing. 'Monday's sun will rise with good news.'

CJP suggests dialogue between government, PTI

Subsequently, the top court judge asked AGP Awan to present his arguments.

As he began, the AGP first requested the court to reduce the temperature within it, stressing that everywhere in the country, the [political] temperature needed...