Former Langkawi Umno member Anina Saadudin has filed an application to declare Section 18C of the Societies Act which bars members from challenging the decision made by political parties to be unconstitutional.

She named Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and executive secretary Ab Rauf Yusoh as the respondents.

Her application was filed at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur by her counsel Mohd Haniff Katri Abdullah.

Haniff said she is also seeking a declaration that her expulsion from the party be declared null and void.

It was previously reported that Anina had failed to mount a challenge over her expulsion after she filed a suit against Umno party president and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to return the RM2.6 billion to the party.

As a result, Anina filed a suit to challenge her expulsion but this was thrown out by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur and Court of Appeal as a result of Section 18C, where members cannot challenge the decision by the party in court.

The High Court ruled that it had no jurisdiction to hear disputes in a political party.

The Court of Appeal ruled that it was bound by the decision made in the MyPPP president M Kayveas case.

Section 18C of the Societies Act was placed there after amendments to the Act in the wake of the 1988 Umno crisis, when the party was declared illegal following a challenge brought to court, and Umno Baru was formed.