The Supreme Court has postponed until next week the hearing of a case challenging the neutrality of Chief Justice Chan Reec Madut to preside over a petition against the 28 states.

The president formed the new states in October last year. In the same month, the opposition SPLM-DC petitioned the court to block the implementation of the decision.

The hearing on the case has not officially started yet because the parties are still arguing on whether Chief Justice Chan Reec Madut should preside over the hearing.

The SPLM-DC says Justice Chan wrote a congratulatory message to President Salva Kiir after he split the ten states into 28

It is the case on barring the Chief Justice that has now been rescheduled for the 18^th this month.

“The court then determined the date of 18th to make a decision concerning our application [to the court] not to allow this Chief Justice to continue to head this sitting,” said Agok Makur, lead lawyer for the SPLM-DC.

Mr Agok says they will also receive a response on a separate petition against the national assembly for approving the creation of more states.

IGAD has urged the parties to the peace agreement to first form a transitional government and discuss such issues later.