ISLAMABAD, Feb 12: The Supreme Court on Monday served notices for a third time on 68 legislators on petitions challenging seminary sanads (degrees).

Sixty-six of the legislators belong to the MMA and two to the PML-Q. They include six senators, 30 MNAs and 32 MPAs. One of the MNAs, Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani, has died.

The notices were served through respective speakers and the Senate chairman.

Led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, a three-member bench took up the issue in petitions filed by Dr Aslam Khaki and Maulvi Iqbal Haider as well as an appeal by Mufti Ibrar – an MNA belonging to the MMA who was disqualified by an election tribunal.

None of the mentioned legislators ever appeared in person or was represented through a legal counsel whenever the case was taken up.

"We will examine all cases according to the law and our conscience to lay down the criteria," the chief justice observed before deciding to take up the matter again on March 12.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sher Afgan appeared before the court and said he would represent his ministry.

In his petition filed in 2003, Dr Khaki had sought a declaration that the MMA members who held the sanad ‘Shahadat-e-Alimiya Fil Uloomul Arabia Wal Islamia’ from unrecognised madressahs or had not passed additional subjects of Islamic Studies and Arabic at the bachelor’s level as required by the HEC equivalence criterion were not eligible to become members of parliament.