KUALA LUMPUR: The Election Commission (EC) will hold a meeting on July 18 to decide on the dates for the upcoming Kuala Terengganu by-election.
EC secretary Datuk Ikmalrudin Ishak said the meeting will be chaired by its chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh.
"The EC on July 12 (yesterday) has received the judge's report in accordance with the Election Offences Act 1954 regarding the Election's Court decision to annul the election for P.036 Kuala Terengganu in the last (general election) held on Nov 19, 2022.
"In this regard, a special meeting to discuss matters related to the P.036 Kuala Terengganu by-election will be held on July 18.
"The meeting will be held to discuss important matters related to the P.036 Kuala Terengganu by-election such as election writ, nomination day, polling date, electoral roll to be used and other preparation for the polls," he said.
Ikmalrudin said there will be a press conference after the meeting.
On June 27, the Terengganu Election Court annulled the victory of Kuala Terengganu member of parliament Datuk Ahmad Amzad Hashim, who represented Pas in GE15.
Judge Datuk Seri Mohd Firuz Jaffril said the petitioner, BN candidate Datuk Mohd Zubir Embong, proved that corruption had taken place, intending to influence voters in GE15.
He said although the petitioner was not presented as a witness, other evidence was sufficient to declare the election in Kuala Terengganu null and void according to Section 36 of the Election Offences Act.
The court also ordered the respondent to pay RM50,000 to the petitioner and allowed the respondent to file an appeal within 14 days.
On Jan 3, Terengganu Umno filed a petition at the Kuala Terengganu High Court to annul the GE15 result of the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat under the Election Offences Act 1954.
According to Terengganu Umno chief Datuk Seri Ahmad Said, among the points raised in the petition were allegations that Pas had bribed voters by distributing financial aid from the state government through the i-Pencen, i-Belia and i-Siswa initiatives between Nov 15 and 17, 2022, which was just a few days before GE15.
Amzad won the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat in GE15 with a majority of 40,907 votes.