PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court set two days from Nov 14 to hear an appeal by kindergarten teacher M. Indira Gandhi to challenge the validity of her three children's conversion by her Muslim ex-husband seven years ago.
Indira's counsel Aston Paiva confirmed the hearing dates when contacted after he attended case management of his client's appeal at the Federal Court Registry this morning.
Indira, 41, seeks to overturn the Court of Appeal's 2-1 ruling on Dec 30 last year, that maintained the Islamic faith of her children.
The Court of Appeal majority decision held that only the Shariah courts had the jurisdiction to decide on the validity of a person's conversion.
On May 19, the Federal Court granted her leave to appeal, with Nov 14 to 15 being hearing of the merits of her appeal.
In August 2009, Indira filed her judicial review application at the Ipoh High Court to challenge the conversion of the three children named Tevi Darsiny, 19, Karan Dinish, 18, and her youngest Prasana Diksa, 8, to Islam by Riduan, 46, whose Hindu name was K. Patmanathan.
Indira and Riduan became involved in a protracted custodial battle for the three children, with the Ipoh (Civil) High Court giving her custody, which contrasted with the Ipoh Syariah High Court decision to award custody to him.
The Ipoh High Court had allowed her judicial review bid to quash her children's conversion. However, the ruling was reversed by the Court of Appeal.
Asides from Riduan, the other respondents in her appeal are the Perak Registrar of Converts, the state's Islamic Religious Department director, the state government, the Education Ministry and the Federal Government.