The Kuala Lumpur High Court has fixed Friday to hear the leave application by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to challenge the decision of the commissioner-general of Prisons to bar him from attending the Dewan Rakyat session which will end on April 9.

The senior federal counsel representing the home minister and Prisons Department had sought more time to find out the status of the application for clemency from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong by Anwar’s family.

Senior federal counsel Amarjit Singh, who heads the Attorney-General’s Chambers civil division, along with Alice Loke, appeared for the home minister and Prisons Department.

Lawyer and Padang Serai MP N Surendran ( left ) objected to the postponement application.

However, Justice Asmabi Mohamad allowed the senior federal counsel’s request and fixed Friday morning to hear the leave application.

Initially, today had been scheduled for the application to hear the leave (permission) application for a judicial review.

In judicial reviews, leave or permission has to be gained first and an automatic hearing is not given.

This is to make sure the application is not frivolous and vexatious.

On March 4, Prisons Department director-general Zulkifli Omar had rejected Anwar’s request to attend the Parliament session which began on March 9 but did not state any reasons for not accepting Anwar’s application, which was dated Feb 25.

Following this, Anwar’s lawyers filed the judicial review application on March 18, to compel the prison authorities to allow the Permatang Pauh MP to attend the parliament session before it ended on April 9.

In the politician’s supporting affidavit to the application, Anwar states under Article 48 (4) of the federal constitution, he would not cease from being a lawmaker until the petition of pardon is decided on by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“Following this, I have a right to attend the parliament session pending the decision,” he said in his affidavit-in-support.

“The order dated March 4 barring me from attending parliament is unconstitutional and should be declared null and void,” the Permatang Pauh MP said.

He also said that he is the legal MP for Permatang Pauh and represents his constituents and therefore the order to bar him would result in his constituents not being represented in the proceeding.

“Following this, the Prisons Department order dated March 4 should be declared null and void,” the opposition leader and former deputy prime minister said.