Age limit petition hearing starts today
Nov 14, 2018
The expected proceedings at the Supreme Court will be conferencing parties under the auspices of a judicial officer.
The much anticipated appeal against the Constitutional Court judgment, in which lawyer Male Mabirizi and others, challenged the scrapping of the upper age limit on the presidency, is set to kick off today at the Supreme Court.
The development follows a decision by the Attorney General (AG), William Byaruhanga, to concede Tuesday on his application to have a notice of service by the Uganda Law Society (ULS) struck off court record over serving his chambers out of prescribed time.
The expected proceedings at the Supreme Court will be conferencing parties under the auspices of a judicial officer.
According to the Civil Procedure Rules, conferencing is a court process in civil matters where parties meet under the guidance of a registrar or judge and agree on issues under contestation for determination of the court.
The way court disposes of the issues under contestation determines which party carries the day.
With Chief Justice Bart Katureebe Tuesday directing parties to agree on issues before meeting for conferencing today, this morning's proceedings are expected to be brief.
However, Katureebe revealed that court would also spend some time consolidating the many appeals by different parties into one appeal, since their grievances are not diametrically opposed.
In June this year, the Court of Appeal sitting in Mbale, held 4:1 that the amendment of the Constitution to scrap the 75-year age cap on those seeking to take a shot at the presidency was constitutional - issues like security operatives roughing up lawmakers opposed to the amendment notwithstanding.
The law makes it explicit that courts should give priority to matters involving constitutional interpretation, which might make this particular petition to be handled expeditiously.
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