A Supreme Court lawyer yesterday filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the legality of parliament's action that elected Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury as its Speaker.
Eunus Ali Akond filed the petition as public interest litigation with the High Court praying for staying the operation of the gazette notification on electing the Speaker.
Citing the petition, Eunus told The Daily Star that the Speaker of parliament should be elected from the lawmakers who are directly elected by the people as per the constitution. 
But Shirin who is not an elected lawmaker, has been elected as the Speaker, which is contrary to the constitution, said the petitioner adding, she was a member of the reserved seat for women in parliament.
The petition prayed to the court to declare her (Shirin) being elected as Speaker illegal.
The Speaker (Shirin) and secretaries to Jatiya Sangsad, the cabinet and the law ministry have been made respondents to the petition.  
Shirin was elected, unopposed, as the country's first female Speaker by parliament on last April 30.
She succeeds Abdul Hamid, who assumed the presidency on April 24 following the death of President Zillur Rahman. 
Writ petitioner Eunus Ali told The Daily Star that he will pray to the HC to hold hearing the petition tomorrow.