Lawyer T Gunaseelan said the Malaysian Chinese Language Council, Malaysia Tamil Neri Kalagam and Gabungan Persatuan Pelajar Tamil Malaysia had filed the application under Order 14A of the High Court Rules.

The attorney-general’s chambers, appearing for the education ministry, also filed a similar application.

Under Order 14A, the court can determine a dispute on points of law without having to call for witnesses.

Gunaseelan, who was assisted by Keshwinjit Singh, informed Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali about the matter during virtual case management of all parties today.

Senior federal counsel S Narkunavathy represented the ministry.

The plaintiffs – the Association of Peninsular Malaysia Students and the Islamic Educational Development Council – may file replies to the applications.

Nazlan fixed further case management on Oct 14.

The association and the council had named Putrajaya and the ministry as defendants while 11 others were included as they are deemed interested parties.

They are seeking a declaration that Sections 2, 17 and 28 of the Education Act 1996, and the extent to which they provide for the establishment of vernacular schools using Chinese and Tamil as the main languages, are inconsistent with Article 152(1) of the Federal Constitution and are considered null and void.