GRACIOUS DR TAN WELCOMES CHIEF JUSTICE MENON TO HIS APPEAL DESPITE PRIOR CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Court of Appeal – 5 Judges to sit instead of 3

5 judges will hear the appeal next Monday, 31 July 2017 10 am, Supreme Court (photo of the Supreme Court). They are Chief Justice Sunderesh Menon, JA Judith Prakash, JA Steven Chong, J Chua Lee Ming and J Kannan Ramesh.

Having 5 judges (instead of the usual 3) is significant. It points to the importance of the Constitutional issues for clarification.

Some have asked whether the CJ should hear this case since he chaired the Constitutional Commission that recommended the reserved elections. Last week, the Court wrote to the AG and my lawyers asking if parties have any objections if the CJ sat at the hearing. Both sides said there were none.

I welcome CJ’s involvement. In my view, no other judge knows more about the subject than the CJ. It is therefore proper and beneficial to Singaporeans that he is available to address questions on the reserved election scheme and its spirit and purpose.

I look forward to hearing the court’s deliberations on my appeal next Monday.