SC rejects SIC’s miscellaneous applications in reserved seats case

The constitutional bench of the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday rejected the miscellaneous applications filed by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) on the review petitions filed against granting reserved seats to the SIC, barring one related to the livestreaming of the hearing of these petitions, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

An 11-member bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, rejected the party’s objection to the composition of the bench and adjourning the case’s hearing until the pronouncement of the decision in the 26th Amendment case.   

Advocate Hamid Khan, Counsel for the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA), on Wednesday had sought live broadcast of the court proceedings. He contended that hearings related to the main case on reserved seats were previously broadcast live and had kept the public informed.

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar observed that after taking oath, the former chief justice had convened a full court meeting where it was decided by majority that proceedings of the Practice and Procedure case should be aired live as a pilot project.

Some judges, however, had opposed this. He added that a two-member committee comprising himself and Justice Athar Minallah was formed to recommend mechanisms for live broadcasting. 

The committee proposed broadcasting from all courtrooms. He also noted that live coverage of the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto reference was also approved during Chief Justice Isa’s tenure. The committee’s recommendations were pending full administrative court approval, and live streaming remains in pilot phase.

Hamid Khan argued that a precedent for a pilot project had already been set. Justice Jamal Mandokhail remarked that the decision he was referring to had already been implemented. Khan urged the court to first rule on the petition seeking live streaming of the proceedings.

Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan responded that such requests would not be decided individually but collectively after hearing all relevant parties. He questioned whether the reserved seats case should be heard after the verdict on the 26th Constitutional Amendment? Hamid Khan suggested the court decide the amendment case first before hearing the rest.

Reporter: Amanat Gishkori