Court throws out voters’ bid for EC to hold local enquiries

The group had sought a declaration that the EC's refusal to conduct local enquiries for the redelineation exercise was unconstitutional.

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The voters’ lawyer, Ambiga Sreenevasan, says they are looking into the possibility of challenging the final redelineation report.

SHAH ALAM: The High Court here today dismissed an attempt by 107 voters to compel the Election Commission (EC) to hold local enquiries on the redelineation exercise.

In her judgment, Azimah Omar said the 107 voters were not affected by the redelineation exercise and had no locus standi on the matter.

“The voters were not affected by the second notice of the EC’s redelineation exercise,” she said.

The voters, led by former Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah, filed the legal challenge against the EC on March 20.

They sought an order for the EC to hold the local enquiries and hear the complaints against the redelineation exercise as required under the Federal Constitution.

They also wanted a declaration that the EC’s refusal to conduct local enquiries was unconstitutional.

Speaking to reporters after the decision, the voters’ lawyer, Ambiga Sreenevasan, said they were looking into the possibility of challenging the final redelineation report.

“This is because the EC actually took into account the objections by people in the same constituency, namely in relation to Petaling Jaya Utara,” she said.

Ambiga added that the voters might question the EC’s report which excluded their views on the redrawing of boundaries.

The Petaling Jaya Utara seat was renamed as Damansara following the redelineation exercise.

The redelineation report was passed in the Dewan Rakyat on March 28, with 129 MPs supporting the redrawing of electoral boundaries.

Shortly after the report was passed, Prime Minister Najib Razak dissolved Parliament to make way for the May 9 election. - FMT