Hougang resident will not have to bear costs for by-election bid: Judge

[Confuseous]

HE Hougang resident who sought a High Court declaration on the calling of by-elections will not have to pay costs for her failed bid.

The questions raised in Madam Vellama Marie Muthu's application "concerned public law issues of general importance", said Justice Philip Pillai in a written judgement dated November 1.

The part-time cleaner also did not have a private interest in raising the issue of how seats vacated by Members of Parliament are filled, he added. Madam Vellama had asked the court to declare that the Prime Minister does not have "unfettered discretion" in deciding whether and when to call by-elections after former Hougang MP Yaw Shin Leong vacated his seat in February.

Even though Madam Vellama failed in her bid, Justice Pillai noted that where legal questions of "genuine public concern" are raised, "it may be inappropriate to make a costs order against the applicant even where the judicial review is wholly unsuccessful".

The Attorney-General's Chambers had earlier sought costs against Madam Vellama based on the legal principle that the winning party is generally entitled to costs.

Justice Pillai said the importance of the public law issues raised by Madam Vellama was underscored by extensive debates among MPs both within Parliament and in the media, among constitutional law academics and among the public on online and print media.

 

[apogee]

HE Hougang resident who sought a High Court declaration on the calling of by-elections will not have to pay costs for her failed bid.

Kudos to Pillai. He has more guts than the officials of the Law Society. Rumours has it that he did not see eye to eye with Wong Meng Meng, the president of the Law Society, when they were in Shook Lin and Bok. He has a good eye.

 

[Hans168]

Kudos to Pillai. He has more guts than the officials of the Law Society. Rumours has it that he did not see eye to eye with Wong Meng Meng, the president of the Law Society, when they were in Shook Lin and Bok. He has a good eye.

Not rumour but fact. Wong Meng Meng as managing partner of Shook Lin n Bok brought in P Pillai who later did a coup n upstaged him......... he left n P Pillai became the managing partner.

There is a saying that when you see a snake n an Indian, you kill the Indian first then the snake....

 

[Huat-Ah]

Someone commented that AGM should compensate Madam Vellama Emotion loss

 

[wendychan]

Someone commented that AGM should compensate Madam Vellama Emotion loss

emotional loss? those words have no meaning in this country

 

[Huat-Ah]

emotional loss? those words have no meaning in this country

LOL...Many know that...But that person who commented don't know mah