SC to announce verdict on Article 63-A presidential reference today

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on a presidential reference seeking its interpretation of Article 63-(A) of the Constitution, ARY News reported.

The apex court will announce its decision on presidential reference, which is related to the disqualification of lawmakers over defection, at 5:30pm today.

A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, completed proceedings of the case today.

The hearing of the case commenced on March 21 by a two-member bench, after which CJP Bandial constituted a larger bench to hear the reference.

During today’s hearing, the newly appointed Attorney General of Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf (AGP) completed his arguments. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan also submitted his detailed response to the court.

Presidential reference

The reference was filed by former Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan on behalf of President Arif Alvi for the life-term disqualification of deviant members after many of the PTI MNAs decided to vote in favour of a no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan.

The President sought the opinion of the top court in the presidential reference under the jurisdiction of Constitution’s Article 186.

In presidential reference, the supreme court’s guidance was requested over four basic questions with regard to the Article 63-A of the constitution.

PRESIDENT APPROVES REFERENCE FOR INTERPRETATION OF ARTICLE 63 (A)

“If the members betraying their party could only be punished with removing them from their parliament seats,” the reference asked the court.

“If the defector can be disqualified for contesting the next election or not? If a defector under Article 63-A, will be disqualified for life?.

“The vote given by a parliament member against the party’s policy will be counted in the voting or not,” the president questioned about the fate of the controversial vote.