Dhaka: The High Court (HC) on Thursday stayed for four weeks the elections to Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) ward councillor posts and reserved seats in 18 new wards.

A two-member HC bench comprising Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice M. Faruque issued the order in the morning after hearing on a writ petition.

The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned, including the LGRD secretary and the Chief Election Commissioner, to explain within four weeks as to why the schedule to arrange the DSCC polls will not be declared illegal.

On January 17, Mozammel Miah, a voter, filed writ petition seeking stay on the upcoming polls to the ward councillor posts of DSCC.

The Election Commission was scheduled to arrange by-polls to the DNCC mayoral post, polls to the 36 councillor posts and

12 reserved seats in the 36 new wards —18 of the DNCC and 18 of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC)—on February 26.

The EC fixed January 18 as the last date for filing nomination paper while scrutiny will be held on January 21, 22.

The closing date for nomination paper withdrawal is January 29.

Earlier, on Wednesday, The High Court (HC) stayed for three months the by-polls to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayoral post and elections to the councilor posts in 18 new wards of the city corporation.