It appears that the political and legal crisis that the whole country has been plunged into after the Punjab Assembly’s session on Friday may stretch on for longer than some parties’ preferences. The Supreme Court bench in Islamabad has been hearing legal issues beyond just the issue of whether the Deputy Speakers’ action of discarding certain votes was legal—the Court is also entertaining the coalition government’s plea for the formation of a full bench. At the time of writing of this editorial, the Supreme Court reserved the verdict on the formation of a full court to hear the Punjab chief minister election case as requested by the ruling alliance, bar councils and CM Hamza Shahbaz.

The importance of these legal proceedings before the Supreme Court cannot be stressed enough; the imperative constitutional questions that may be decided in these hearings include the interpretation of Article 63 of the constitution, the definition and distinction between the party head and the parliamentary party’s direction and the status of a trustee chief minister. Indeed, the petition filed by the coalition government requesting a full bench has injected an additional, more political perspective to these hearings, amidst rumours circulating, and statements by PDM leaders, implying bias from the Bench.

It may be to the benefit of the Supreme Court itself to constitute a larger bench—firstly, also to set precedent as to when a larger bench may be requested. Secondly and more importantly, it is important that any claims of bias or impartiality, no matter credible or not, must be assuaged in cases of such high consequences as this. This needless and unfruitful political crisis, spurred on by unreasonable behaviour of politicians from all sides, needs to end, and we would not want further appeals or reviews by any party claiming they were not treated fairly. However, here too, the matter is fraught with complications. If the coalition government presses for a full court, with all Supreme Court justices, this issue could stretch for months—a disastrous outcome considering the country’s uncertainty. Any decision in this regard should take into consideration the economic urgency the country is going through, and the need for a government, any government, to be set up as soon as possible.