ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought reply from the federation and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) within 15 days over a plea seeking election reforms.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry had taken up a plea filed by Secretary of Workers Party Pakistan. Abid Hassan Monto, counsel for the secretary, submitted that the present election system in the country was very costly, thus a common man could not take part in the election contest.
He said that multi-million rupees are spent on elections, thus only rich and feudal lords could contest elections. He said that this system has developed the corruption.
 He said that the people who win election, first try to get the spent money back by hook or by crook, which they spent on election and then start collecting money by any means to win their coming election.
He said that there was a dire need of such election reforms, which could guarantee participation of common man in the election contest.
He said restriction should be imposed in election rallies and processions. Besides, he said restriction should also be imposed on displaying hoardings. Instead of these things, he said there should be home-to-home election campaign and comprehensive election manifestos for solution of public problems should be presented.

He requested the court to order new election reforms. After hearing Monto, the court issued notices to federation and ECP directing them to furnish their reply within fortnight.