The order was made after lawyers representing Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai made an urgent application on Thursday for a date to be set.
They said the 15-month delay in setting a date for the petition, which was filed in April 2002, was highly prejudicial to their client.
"The judge has given an order as we sought directing the (high court) registrar to set down a date for the election petition to be heard," said Adrian de Bourbon, one of Tsvangirai's lawyers.
De Bourbon said the date for the hearing would have to be announced within five to seven working days.
The MDC rejected Mugabe's victory in the presidential election held in March last year, saying the polls were marred by violence, intimidation and vote rigging.
Most Western observer groups condemned the poll as flawed, and the Commonwealth, a 54-member grouping of former British colonies, suspended Zimbabwe following an adverse report on the poll by its election observers.
On Thursday, Mugabe's lawyer Terrence Hussein opposed the MDC leader's application on the grounds that there were still outstanding matters to be cleared up before the petition could begin. - Sapa-AFP.
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