MELAKA: The High Court today granted the leave application for a judicial review by residents of the Kota Melaka and Bukit Katil parliamentary constituency to challenge the Election Commission's ongoing redelineation exercise here.
Judicial Commissioner Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera made the decision after dismissing a preliminary objection by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) that represented the EC, its chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah and secretary Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh, who were named as the first, second and third respondents, respectively.
However, Vazeer fixed May 12 to decide for a stay of the local inquiry proceedings on the proposed redelineation until the judicial review is heard.
The applications for judicial review was carried out in chambers by six counsels for the applicants and was led by lawyer Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.
"The judge has granted leave for us to apply for judicial review on the basis that after considering the submissions, he found that our case was not frivolous or vexatious, and must be considered further.
"We also reached the low threshold required for the leave to be granted," Ambiga told reporters at the Melaka Court Complex here, yesterday.
The court has yet to fix a date for the judicial review hearing, but has fixed May 12 (next Friday) to decide for a stay order on the EC's enquiries on the redelineation exercise in the state.
On April 4, seven voters filed an application for a judicial review and a stay order against the EC.
The seven - Chan Tsu Chong, 29; Neo Lih Xin, 31; Azura Talib, 40; Lim Kah Seng, 31; Norhizam Hassan Baktee, 51; Amir Khairudin, 53 and Amran Atan, 47 were representing voters from the Kota Melaka and Bukit Katil parliamentary seats in challenging the EC's proposed re-delineation exercise which they deemed 'unconstitutional'.
Similar cases to challenge the EC's redelineation exercise were also heard in Selangor and Perak high courts.