Justice Aminuddin Khan recuses himself from SC bench hearing poll delay case

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Justice Aminuddin Khan of the Supreme Court on Thursday recused himself from a five-member bench hearing the PTI’s petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to postpone polls to the Punjab Assembly till Oct 8.

“After yesterday’s judgement, I recuse myself from hearing the case,” Justice Khan said.

He referred to a judgement, authored by himself and Justice Isa, issued a day earlier which noted that the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) did not have the power to make special benches or decide its members, and said that all hearings based on suo motu notices and cases of constitutional significance — under Article 184(3) — should be postponed until they are legislated upon.

Justice Khan’s recusal came as an unexpected development before the court proceedings began today.

The original bench — which had conducted three hearings on the PTI petition — was constituted by CJP Umar Ata Bandial. It was headed by the CJP himself and included Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Khan.