ISLAMABAD, April 11: Justice Tariq Mehmood, a judge of Balochistan High Court, has resigned as member Election Commission in protest, as he was of the view that it was not the mandate of the Election Commission to hold referendum to extend the tenure of president for five years.

Sources close to Justice Tariq Mehmood told Dawn that the judge resigned on April 6, the first working day after Gen Pervez Musharraf announced holding of referendum to extend his tenure for five years.

Sources said that the EC member in his resignation noted that issuance of ballot paper for the referendum and the Referendum Order were unconstitutional and it was not the mandate of Election Commission to conduct such an exercise.