PUTRAJAYA, Jan 18 ― Election Commission (EC) chairman Azhar Harun today refuted Umno’s claims that being the only commissioner in the body was unconstitutional.
Speaking at a press conference at the announcement of the Semenyih by-election, Azhar highlighted provisions in the Federal Constitution that allowed him to function as the sole member of the EC.
“Under Schedule 11, Item 33, any bodies or commissions are not affected by any vacancies. That is the allocation under the Federal Constitution and we have decided to follow Schedule 11, Item 33 (c).
“And also, last year the Court of Appeal have decided that the EC is not specifically affected by its membership vacancy,” said Azhar.
It was reported that Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa had claimed that the polls regulator's actions are unconstitutional as it is solely controlled by Azhar.
Azhar became the only commissioner left after deputy chairman Othman Mahmood and members Md Yusof Mansur, Sulaiman Narawi, Leo Chong Cheong and Abdul Aziz Khalidin stepped down on January 1.
