The Singapore Supreme Court will review an application by a Hougang resident on the issue of a by-election in the single seat constituency on March 30.

Local television Channel NewsAsia reported that this came after Vellama Marie Muthu, 42, filed an application with the High Court on March 2, to hold the prime minister accountable for calling a by-election in Hougang, within three months.

The local media said her application followed the Workers’ Party’s move to expel its member of parliament for Hougang, Yaw Shin Leong, amid allegations that he had had an extramarital affair.

Lawyer M Ravi, who is representing Vellama, told the media today that he was asking the High Court to clarify if Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong must call for a by-election and, if so, the time-frame within which a by-election should take place.

On March 9, Lee told Parliament that he intended to call a by-election for the vacated Hougang seat, but he had not decided when he would do so.

The timing of the by-election is at the prime minister’s discretion.

- Bernama