Umar Ata Bandial: A Legacy Of Controversies | TLDR | USNEWS2

Umar Ata Bandial, who retired as Pakistan's 28th chief justice after a 20-month tenure, is seen as one of the most polarizing top judges in the country's history.

His time in office began during a political crisis as joint opposition sought to oust a minority government.

Bandial's first major challenge was declaring the deputy speaker's decision to dissolve parliament as unconstitutional, leading to the restoration of the National Assembly and setting the stage for the removal of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

His tenure was marked by a flood of contentious petitions, making him a divisive figure.

Critics accused him of favoring Imran Khan's party, leading to demands for his resignation and even attempts to curb the chief justice's powers through legislation.

Bandial's actions further divided the Supreme Court, as he formed benches that aligned with him and marginalized dissenting judges, while avoiding full benches for important political cases.