PM contempt case: 3 judges withdraw from bench

He said that special bench comprising nine judges had been formed to conduct hearing of appeal filed against contempt of court case against the Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani but three out of nine judges have apologized to render service in this regard.He said that he did not want to disclose the names of three judges who have apologized from hearing; so, we can’t conduct hearing of the case as we have only six judges, he said.While inaugurating Balochistan High Court Sibbi Bench, Chief Justice said that the institutions should work while keeping them within their jurisdiction. The establishment of Sibbi Bench would help facilitate the masses, he said.He also stressed restoration of Sibbi Law College, raise the number of judges in Balochistan and establishment of new in far-flung areas.Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has called the meeting of Judicial Commission for appointment of new judges. He would recommend for appointment of two judges on ad-hoc basis and one as additional judge. Supreme Court comprises 17 judges out of which senior judge Mian Shakirullah Jan is serving as acting Chief Election Commissioner while Justice Anwer Zaheer Jamali is sick.So far as Justice Tasaddaq Hussain Jilani is concerned, he had already avoided the hearing of PM’s case. According to sources, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice MA Shahid Siddiqui’s names are under consideration for ad-hoc judges. Pakistan Bar Council has opposed appointment of judges on ad-hoc basis.