Nurul Izzah's application against redelineation exercise to be heard on Feb 15

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has set Feb 15 for the substantive hearing of the judicial review application to challenge the Election Commission's proposed redelineation exercise.  

The decision was made Tuesday by Justice Azizul Azmi Adnan, who allowed the application filed by a group led by Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar.  

Nurul Izzah's lawyer Surendra Ananth then applied for a stay order for the redelineation process.  

He requested for a stay for all states or the Federal Territories, to which Justice Azizul granted a stay for the Federal Territories.  

Surendra told reporters that the stay order means that any pending local enquiry in Kuala Lumpur has to be suspended until the outcome of substantive hearing.  

"As far as KL is concerned, nothing can happen. That also means that the EC cannot conduct a second round of inquiry, issue notices or submit a report to the Prime Minister," he said.

He added that this would bind the EC to be answerable for its recommendations on the redelineation exercise.  

"Now, EC is legally compelled to give reasons and substantiate its recommendations during the hearing on Feb 15," he added.  

The EC was represented by Attorney-General's Chambers civil division head Amarjeet Singh.  

Nurul Izzah is challenging the redelineation exercise with 10 other registered voters.  

The 11 named the EC, its chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah and its secretary Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh as respondents.  

The 11 want to quash the EC's notice dated Sept 15 on the proposed recommendations for federal and state constituencies.  

They are also seeking a declaration that the first local enquiry for the federal constituency of Lembah Pantai conducted by the EC on Nov 8 at a Putrajaya hotel was unlawful.