Justice Isa halted the ongoing hearing over the reshuffling in the bench. A two-member bench headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa comprising Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi was hearing the case yesterday, but when the bench resumed hearing the case today, Justice Yahya Afridi replaced Justice Rizvi in the bench.
Justice Isa halted the ongoing hearing and summoned the Supreme Court registrar. "How can a bench be altered after its formation," Justice Isa asked the registrar.
How can transparency be ensured when a registrar transfers a case from one bench to another, he asked? "Can I telephone the registrar and seek fixation of a case on a particular bench," he questioned.
"Why have the cases of the year 2021 been fixed for hearing before my bench?" "Why are the new cases fixed for hearing instead of the old ones?" "Why has my two-member bench been changed?" he asked.
"Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi was on yesterday’s list. "Today, Justice Yahya Afridi has been included on the bench," he said. To which, the Registrar reportedly replied, "All cases are fixed before benches by the Chief Justice of Pakistan."
"Why are the cases not fixed for hearing according to the "first come, first served" principle?” “What answer shall I give to the people?" he stated.
Justice Isa directed the registrar to appear with all the records.