The High Court will hear on Feb 21, the Federal Territory Religious Council's application to strike out a non-Muslim woman's bid to be a syarie lawyer.

Deputy Registrar Halilah Suboh set the date in chambers today upon meeting Victoria Jayaseele Martin's counsel, Jamie Wong, and Zulkifli Che Yong, who appeared for the council.

NONE On May 19, Victoria ( right ) filed a judicial review application to challenge a decision that only Muslim lawyers are allowed to practise at the Syariah Court in the Federal Territory.

In her application, Victoria also sought an order of certiorari to quash the council's decision, refusing her application to be admitted as a syarie lawyer.

She named the council as the respondent.

Among others, Victoria, 48, is seeking a mandamus order to compel the religious council to accept her as syarie lawyer.

She also sought a declaration that Rule 10 of the Syarie Lawyer Rules 1993, mandating that only Muslims could be admitted as syarie lawyer, contravened Articles 8, 5 and 10 of the Federal Constitution.

Test case

On May 14, High Court judge Mohd Zawawi Salleh granted her leave to apply for a judicial review against the decision.

This is the first test case in Kuala Lumpur of a non-Muslim lawyer being given leave to challenge the ruling that only Muslim lawyers are allowed to practise at the Syariah Court here.

In the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, a key requirement to become a syarie lawyer is that one has to be Muslim.

Victoria, who obtained a Diploma in Syariah Law and Practice from the International Islamic University Malaysia in 2004, had sought legal action at the civil court after her application for admission as syarie lawyer was rejected by the council.

- Bernama