Nurul Izzah fails to challenge local inquiry process over proposed redelineation

PUTRAJAYA: Lembah Pantai Member of Parliament Nurul Izzah Anwar and 10 registered voters in the constituency cannot challenge on the local inquiry process over the proposed redelineation of electoral boundaries for parliamentary constituencies in Kuala Lumpur, ruled the Court of Appeal.

As such, a three-panel bench of the court, led by Justice Datuk Umi Kalthum Abdul Majid, set aside the leave obtained by Nurul Izzah and the 10 constituents to initiate a judicial review to challenge the proposed redelineation of the electoral boundaries.

In setting aside the leave, the court allowed the appeal brought by the Attorney- General.

Justice Umi Kalthum, who presided with Justices Tan Sri Idrus Harun and Datuk Hasnah Mohammed Hashim, then set aside the order of the High Court in granting the leave to Nurul Izzah and her 10 constituents.

With this ruling, the High Court could not hear the merit on the judicial review application which was scheduled on Feb 15.

Earlier Justice Umi Kalthum dismissed a preliminary objection raised by Nurul Izzah against the AG’s appeal. The panel then heard submissions on the merit of the appeal.

Lawyer Datuk Malik Imtiaz Sarwar represented Nurul Izzah Anwar and the 10 constituents, while Senior Federal Counsel Datuk Amarjeet Singh acted for the AG.

Nurul Izzah and the 10 registered voters in the Lembah Pantai parliamentary constituency had filed the judicial review application on Nov 11 last year to challenge the local inquiry process on the proposed redelineation of electoral boundaries for parliamentary constituencies in Kuala Lumpur by the Election Commission ( EC). On Jan 3, they obtained the leave from the High Court to commence the judicial review and the AG, dissatisfied with the decision, filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal. — Bernama