World | Pakistan
Musharraf case bench enlarged
The Supreme Court yesterday enlarged an eight-member bench hearing petitions against acceptance of President Pervez Musharraf's candidacy for the presidential election by the chief election commissioner.
- By Shahid Hussain, Correspondent
- Published: 23:51 October 3, 2007
- Image Credit:
Islamabad: The Supreme Court yesterday enlarged an eight-member bench hearing petitions against acceptance of President Pervez Musharraf's candidacy for the presidential election by the chief election commissioner.
A court spokesman said Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry had added two more judges to the bench, namely Justice Khalilur Rahman Ramday and Justice Tassaduqe Hussain Jilani.
Originally a nine-judge bench was constituted by the chief justice to hear the case. But at the outset of the proceedings yesterday one of the members, Justice Sardar Raza Khan withdrew.
Important points
The chief justice then re-constituted the bench with the eight judges and it held the first hearing on the three petitions filed by two presidential candidates, retired Wajihuddin Ahmad and Makhdoom Amin Fahim, and a citizen Waseem Rehan.
The bench headed by Justice Javed Iqbal said the petitioners had raised important points regarding various provisions of the constitution and their interpretation was necessary.
The enlarged 10-member bench will resume the hearing today, with the petitioners also seeking a judicial order to stay the presidential election scheduled to be held on Saturday.
During the sitting yesterday, Hamid Khan, counsel for Wajihuddin Ahmad, argued that the chief election commissioner had made changes in the rules that were in conflict with the constitution and were meant to benefit Musharraf.
The counsel said Musharraf was in control of the state machinery and he was also chief of the army while other candidates were civilians.
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