The Punjab election delay case in the Supreme Court took a new turn on Wednesday after the court deliberated the implications of a new bill regarding review of judgements.

“There are some petitions before us,” Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial remarked as the hearing begain. “We will have to consider the matter of the review act at some point.” The Supreme Court then clubbed together the petitions and will henceforth hear them together.

Justice Muneeb Akhtar remarked that if the review act was applicable, the Election Commission of Pakistan’s lawyer would have to start their arguments all over again infront of the larger bench.

“How do we determine if the review act applies to this case?” Justice Muneeb asked.

Justice Bandial remarked that everyone wanted the election delay case to reach its conclusion and the ECP’s lawyer could just pick up their arguments infront of a larger bench from where they had been left.

PTI’s lawyer Ali Zafar said that the petitions against the review act and the election delay could be heard together.

“If the review point is sustained, the ECp can present its arguments infront of the larger bench,” Zafar said.

When the CJP asked about his opinion over the review act, Zafar said that the law was against the constitution. He added that the bill was the continuation of the practice and procdure bill which had been stayed by the SC. H also said that the review bill had been rushed through the court within five minutes without any debate.

Zafar also requested the court to reach a decision in the election delay case quickly.

“Whatever the situation or arguments, the court should decide the case quickly,” Zafar said.

Ali Zafar also added that he thought that the constitution had ‘died’ the night of May 15, as the Supreme Court’s deadline for holding elections in Punjab expired. He said that not implementing the decision in the given timeline amounted to contempt.

The chief justice remarked that it was not possible to implement the decision regarding elections on May 14, but the verdict was now ‘preseved in history’.

The SC then adjourned the case till Tuesday. Zafar told the media that the case would now be heard on a daily basis.