The dissenting note of Justice Ayesha Malik and Justice Aqeel Abbasi has come to light in the case regarding the rejection of the government’s appeal against the decision on reserved seats.
According to a report, the dissenting note stated that the review petitions filed by PML-N, PPP, and the Election Commission are rejected. All three petitions were filed against the decision of July 9, 2024. The dissenting note said that the Election Commission submitted additional petitions on the detailed judgment of September 23. All arguments had already been addressed in the detailed judgment. The lawyers attempted to reopen the case through arguments.
In the dissenting note, the judges stated that the scope of review is limited — a new case cannot be opened. Only decisions containing clear legal errors can be reviewed. Minor irregularities or differences of opinion cannot form the basis of a review.
It is worth mentioning here that due to political decisions, there has been an incredible increase in the number of pending cases in the Supreme Court. Government and opposition leaders, along with other political figures, seem to be pursuing both their personal matters and politics in the courts.
Public issues, especially civil cases and criminal complaints, do not seem to be getting resolved, and courts including the Supreme Court appear compelled to prolong cases due to lengthy arguments by the parties — with the country’s complex legal system also being a major contributing factor.
