SEREMBAN, Nov 16 — A by-election will be held for the Rantau state seat in Negri Sembilan.

The Special Election Court today ruled as null and void the unopposed election of Datuk Seri Mohamed Hasan as the assemblyman in the 14th General Election in May.

Judge Datuk Azimah Omar handed down the judgment today after having heard arguments from the lawyers of the petitioner Dr S. Streram and Mohamed, the respondent, over 12 days.

The court also heard the testimonies of 19 witnesses.

Azimah said no election rule states that an electoral candidate, proposer and seconder should have a tag or pass to submit the nomination form.

"This was acknowledged by the second and third respondents in their written submissions,” she said.

Streram, who was denied entry to submit his nomination form due to the absence of the tag or pass, had named Mohamad, the former Mentri Besar of Negri Sembilan, as the first respondent; Rembau parliamentary constituency returning officer Amino Agus Suyub as the second respondent and the Election Commission as the third respondent.

Azimah said that as such, the court allows the petition and rules that Mohamad was not duly elected as the assemblyman for Rantau and that his election is null and void.

"This court orders that a by-election be held immediately for the Rantau state constituency,” she said.

Mohamad, who is Umno deputy president, won the seat unopposed after Dr Streram, who is an anaesthetist, was prohibited from entering the nomination centre on April 28 because he did not have a pass issued by the Election Commission (EC).

Dr Streram filed the petition on May 23, seeking a by-election for the seat because he claimed that Mohamad’s election is not valid.

In his petition, he also claimed that the EC failed to inform him when collecting the nomination form and making the deposit payment that he has to have a name tag or pass to enter the nomination centre on nomination day.

Dr Streram was represented by four lawyers led by Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla while Mohamad was represented by five lawyers led by Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun. — Bernama