Washington, Oct 13 : With the Pakistan Supreme Court’s ruling on legitimacy of President Pervez Musharraf to contest the recently held presidential polls awaited, and former premier Benazir Bhutto’s refusal to delay her return, the country’s politics may witness tumultuous days, the Voice of America has said.

Washburn University Law Professor Ali Khan said that if the apex court rules Musharraf’s candidacy as illegal, the Electoral College would have to hold a new presidential election, the Daily Times reported.

“If it says the president cannot run because of him becoming an army chief, the elections will be held ineffective because we do not have a second candidate who has won any considerable support in the assemblies. So, the elections have to be re-held,” Khan said.

Middle East and Security Studies professor at the US Army War College Larry Goodson maintains that in the past, the courts in Pakistan have tended to side with the military against civilian officials.

An anti-Musharraf ruling is “possible, but not likely” and the military is exerting heavy pressure on the apex court, Goodson said.

“I just have this queasy feeling that the fix is in, that they have already locked and cocked and put the guns to the heads of the justices and basically said, ‘You cannot rule in that way’,” he added.

Former State Department South Asia analyst Walter Andersen said that an anti-Musharraf court ruling, along with Benazir’s high-profile return from exile, might tempt the president to tighten his grip on power.

“That puts him in a very dangerous position. My feeling is that he might declare martial law under those circumstances. He also might declare martial law if people come into the streets, even if the courts rule in his favour, if violence escalates in one way or the other significantly,” he said. (ANI)