Lawyer Rosfinah Rahmat, who is in BN candidate Ali Mohamad’s legal team, said the apex court was scheduled to hear the matter later this month or early next month.

“The parties are finding a common date to have the appeal heard as soon as possible,” she told FMT after an online proceeding today before deputy registrar Suhaila Haron.

Counsel Chetan Jethwani and Angeline Lai represented Aleef while senior federal counsel Low Wen Zhen appeared for the Election Commission (EC).

According to the election law, the petition must be disposed of within six months.

Ali filed the petition on Dec 14 soon after the election results were gazetted.

On Dec 30, election judge Azman Abdullah dismissed all preliminary objections raised by Aleef and the EC, paving the way to hear allegations of bribery by Ali, who lost by a 530-vote majority in a four-cornered fight.

The respondents want the petition to be dismissed as procedures were not strictly followed.

Azman has fixed five days in April to hear the petition where witnesses will be called.

Ali wants the result to be nullified and the court to make orders it deems fit as he claimed that Aleef’s victory was sullied as there had been elements of bribery.

In his petition, Ali said deputy defence minister Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz, the Tanah Merah MP from Perikatan Nasional, had assisted Aleef to win the seat, which has a substantial number of army voters.