The Supreme Court yesterday asked the High Court to expedite hearing and disposal of its previous rules that halted the by-election to Dhaka North City Corporation mayoral post and polls in the 36 new wards under two Dhaka city corporations.

A four-member bench of the SC's Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order after the court disposed of three leave-to-appeal petitions filed by the Election Commission challenging the HC orders.

EC lawyer Towhidul Islam said the Appellate Division assigned the HC bench, led by Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore, for quick disposal of the rules.

The process for holding the elections will remain halted until the HC rules are disposed of, the court said.

Following three writ petitions, the HC issued three rules on January 17 and 18, asking the government and the EC to explain why the schedule for holding the by-polls to the DNCC mayoral post and elections in the new wards in DNCC and Dhaka South City Corporation should not be declared illegal.

It also stayed the election schedule for six months.

The by-polls to the DNCC mayoral post and the elections to 36 councillor posts in the 36 new wards -- 18 in DNCC and 18 in DSCC -- were scheduled to be held today.

The DNCC mayoral post fell vacant with the death of Annisul Huq on November 30 last year.