Singapore legislation
Clause 72
Clause 72
Powers of Election Judge
(1)
Every election petition shall be tried by an Election Judge.
(2)
Witnesses shall be subpoenaed and sworn in the same manner as nearly as circumstances admit as in a trial by the High Court in the exercise of its original civil jurisdiction and shall be subject to the same penalties for the giving of false evidence.
(3)
On the trial of an election petition under this Act, the Election Judge may —
by order under his hand, compel the attendance of any person as a witness who appears to him to have been concerned in the election to which the petition refers; and
examine any witness so compelled to attend or any person in court, although the witness is not called and examined by any party to the petition; and after the examination of a witness by the Election Judge, the witness may be cross‑examined by or on behalf of the petitioner and the respondent, or either of them.
(4)
Any person refusing to obey the order of the Election Judge under subsection (3)(a) shall be guilty of a contempt of court.
(5)
The Election Judge shall be attended on the trial of an election petition in the same manner as if he were a Judge of the Supreme Court sitting at assizes.
(6)
Unless otherwise ordered by the Chief Justice, all interlocutory matters in connection with an election petition may be dealt with and decided by any Judge of the Supreme Court.