KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has fixed Aug 23 to hear a judicial review application filed by the Undi 18 movement.

       The group is seeking to challenge the government's decision to delay the implementation of lowering the voting age from 21 to 18.

       Lawyer New Sin Yew, who represents the 18 youth applicants, said the hearing date was fixed by senior assistant registrar Azdianur Abu Samah during online case management on Thursday (July 1).

       "Hearings have been fixed on Aug 23 before Justice Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid and the court has also instructed parties to file submissions on Aug 9," he said when speaking to the press on Thursday.

       Federal Counsel Noor Atiqah Zainal Abidin appeared for the respondents during the online proceedings.

       On June 17, the High Court granted leave to the group of youths to proceed with their legal action on grounds that the applicants had successfully passed the threshold for leave to commence a judicial review against the government's decision.

       He said the constitutional amendments for lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 years old have been passed in Parliament and have received the royal assent.

       "The only outstanding issue is the timing in which the same comes into effect," the judge said in his decision.

       He said the matter should be allowed to proceed to the substantive stage and where it would allow the respondents to provide an explanation by affidavit.

       “And thereafter only the court would decide on whether a case has been made and what relief is appropriate," Justice Ahmad Kamal said.

       On April 2, the youths filed their legal action seeking several court orders arising from the respondents' delay in the implementation of Undi-18, a move to lower the voting age to 18 and to enable AVR.

       They named Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the government and the Election Commission (EC) as respondents.

       In the application, the group sought a declaration that the government's action to delay the enforcement of lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 was irrational, illegal, disproportionate and a form of voter suppression.

       They want a declaration that those aged 18 to 20 have a legitimate expectation that they will have the right to vote on or before July 2021.

       The youths aged between 18 and 20 are also seeking a declaration that the decision of the respondents to delay the enforcement of Section 3(a) was a form of voter suppression aged 18 to 20 years in July 2021.