PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission has decided that there is no need for a by-election for the Jelebu parliament in Negeri Sembilan which fell vacant after the death of its member of parliament Datuk Zainudin Ismail.
Its chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah said this is because the seat vacancy occurred within two years before the mandate given to the federal government expires as provided for under Article (1) 54 of the Federal Constitution.
"The mandate period given to the Dewan Rakyat at the 13th general election has passed the three-year period and there is no notice from Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia to fill the seat, therefore the commission has decided and approved that no by-election will be held," he said in a statement today.
Mohd Hashim explained that under the Article (1) 54 of the Federal Constitution, there is no need for a by-election if the seat vacancy occurred within two-years before Parliament dissolves, unless the Speaker express the need for a by-election.
Zainuddin, 58, died on Dec 6 due to brain tumour.