EC says no need for by-election for Jelebu

KUALA LUMPUR: The Election Commission said today a by-election does not have to be held for the Jelebu parliamentary constituency following the death of MP Datuk Zainuddin Ismail earlier this month.
Its chairman, Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah, said the seat had fallen vacant within a period of less than two years before the dissolution of Parliament for a general election.
"As the mandate of the Dewan Rakyat from the 13th General Election has exceeded three years and there was no notification from the Speaker (of the Dewan Rakyat) to fill the casual vacancy, the EC has decided that there will be no by-election for Jelebu," he said in a statement.
Mohd Hashim said he received an official notification yesterday on the vacant seat from Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia.
Article 54(1) of the Federal Constitution states that if a casual vacancy occurs in the Dewan Rakyat within two years of the dissolution of Parliament, the vacancy shall not be filled unless the Speaker notifies the EC in writing that the numerical strength of the party that constitutes a majority of all the MPs is being affected by the vacancy.
Zainuddin died on Dec 6 due to complications from a brain tumour. He was 58. — Bernama