The Supreme Court is set to issue three critical rulings on Tuesday evening following applications by the petitioners and respondents of cases contesting the October 26 fresh poll.
The three applications include one seeking to have the National Super Alliance (NASA) struck out as an interested party in the cases, another seeking to have the Jubilee Party enjoined to a case and the third is to decide whether or not to admit some of the responses that were filed late.
Lawyers made their submissions for most of Tuesday morning and well into the evening hours of the day despite Chief Justice David Maraga having cautioned the counsels on the short time available to decide on the matters.
"We have a total of fifteen applications that were filed yesterday. We were here close to midnight last night looking at them. Some we are just disposing to the written submissions that have been filed.
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"These ones that we have picked out, we will just hear brief submissions. The applications we are hearing arguments on this morning together with the others, we will deliver a ruling at 2.00 pm and then give directions on the hearing of the petition," the CJ had observed.
According to the Supreme Court rules, the pre-trial conference must be held on the seventh day after the petitions have been filed with the court's registrar, the leeway expires on Tuesday at midnight.
CJ Maraga observed that the purpose of the pre-trial hearing would be to establish whether all the parties have been served with the necessary filings, hear preliminary objections and possibly consolidate the suits and set the hearing dates.
As was observed during the hearing of NASA leader Raila Odinga's case after the August 8 election, the pre-trial hearing provides the court with an opportunity to enjoin applicants either as an interested party or friend of the court.
President Uhuru Kenyatta's lawyers also sought to have the controversial leaked IEBC memos expunged from the court documents under consideration.
Read More: Key Evidence Uhuru Wants Removed From Supreme Court
The court was also lively as lawyer Julie Soweto arrived late to the courtroom, making a memorable entrance.
Read More: Female Lawyer Turns Heads After Debut at Supreme Court
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