Decision on Selangor voters' objection to EC redelineation postponed

The Shah Alam High Court has fixed April 11 for a decision on the objections by over 10,000 Selangor voters who had objected to the Election Commission's redelineation exercise in the state.

The judicial review application to challenge the EC's redelineation report was filed last week by applicants which included former Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah, Selangor state speaker Hannah Yeoh, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua and several Selangor state assemblypersons.

A stay order was also sought by the 107 individuals who represented more than 100 voters each against the tabling of the EC's redelienation exercise in Parliament.

However, Parliament yesterday passed the motion to adopt the new electoral boundaries which were proposed by the EC.

The lawyer representing the 107 applicants - Ambiga Sreenevasan - said the court today had heard arguments by both parties, including the argument on whether the matter is academic.

Ambiga (below) also confirmed that they were looking into advising the court on whether the election can still be held when a court decision related to the matter has yet been made.

"We are going to look into that. My clients have asked us to look into that whether they can proceed while there's a decision pending.

"I'm assuming they will respect the court and will not do anything that will undermine the court's decision," she said.

Bersih acting chairperson Shahrul Aman Mohd Saari who was also present at the court today said the matter should not have been discussed in Parliament.

"Election is one thing, tabling (of the motion) shouldn’t have been done. This is a contempt of court.

"We hope the prime minister won't dissolve Parliament because there are still cases pending in court," he said.

Apart from the EC, the application had also named Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia as respondents.

At a press conference last week, Bersih said the application was filed because the EC failed to conduct a local inquiry for the groups that filed the court case despite them having submitted their objections.

The EC is required by law to hold inquiries at the local level to hear objections from voters to its redelineation proposals. -Mkini