Will face writ challenging referendum, results: Shishir Manir

Senior Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir has announced that he will face and contest a writ petition filed to challenge the validity of the recent referendum and its results.

In a post on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, he stated that the petition would be contested in court. “We will face and fight the writ petition seeking to question the validity of the referendum results in court, InshaAllah,” he wrote.

The writ petition, filed by Supreme Court lawyer ABM Ataul Majid Touhid in the public interest, challenges the February 12 referendum and seeks to annul the results announced on February 13.

According to official figures, 48,074,429 voters supported the proposed changes in the referendum, while 22,565,627 voted against them.

The Chief Election Commissioner, Cabinet Secretary, and Law Secretary have been named as respondents. 

A High Court bench led by Justice Fatema Najeeb is expected to hear the petition next week.

FH/MHK