Oct 13 hearing for Sarawak redelineation case

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PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court has set Oct 13 to hear Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How and a voter’s application for leave to appeal against a ruling on the electoral boundary redelineation in Sarawak.

Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif chairing a three-judge bench today also adjourned to Oct 13, an application by See and Ulu Baram voter Pauls Baya to stay the Court of Appeal’s ruling made last Aug 7.

On May 15 this year, the Kuching High Court ordered the Election Commission (EC) to republish its Notice of proposed recommendations on the redelineation of electoral boundaries for Sarawak, after ruling that it lacked details.

Further on May 25, High Court judge Yew Jen Kie made an additional order declaring the EC’s notice of redelineation as null and void, after ruling that it was not in accordance with the 13th Schedule of the Federal Constitution.

However, the Court of Appeal overturned the high court’s decision, ruling that the EC’s notice was valid and complied with Section 4(a) of the 13th Schedule of the Federal Constitution.

The EC in its redelineation exercise for Sarawak is seeking to create 11 new constituencies, increasing it from the existing 71 constituencies to 82.

Meanwhile, the duo’s stay application was initially fixed for hearing today.

But at the proceeding, counsel Datuk Dr Cyrus Das told the bench that it could be deferred to coincide with the leave to appeal case if the Federal Court would agree to hear the latter next week.

Senior federal counsel Amarjeet Singh who represented the EC did not object to counsel’s suggestion.

Presiding with Md Raus were Federal Court judges Tan Sri Abdull Hamid Embong and Tan Sri Abu Samah Nordin.

Das is representing the applicants, together with counsel S. Ambiga. -BERNAMA