Section 182 of the principal Act is repealed and the following is substituted –

“182  Time within which election petitions and appeals thereon to be determined

(1) Every election petition shall be determined within six months from the date of presentation.

(2) An appeal under section 172 (2) shall be determined within three months from the date of the lodging of the appeal.

(3)  For the purpose of ensuring that an election petition or an appeal is determined within the time-limit prescribed in subsection (1) or (2), as the case may be-

(a)    the Judge President of the High Court or the presiding judge of the Electoral Court, in the case of an election petition; and

(b)    the Chief Justice or the senior presiding judge, of the Supreme Court, in the case of an appeal from a decision on an electoral petition;

may, notwithstanding any other enactment, give such directions as to the filing of documents  and the hearing of evidence and argument as will in his or her opinion, ensure that the time-limit is met, and the parties shall comply with those directions.”.