An application to determine the religious status of deceased film director Mohan Singh will be heard at 3.30pm on Friday in the Shah Alam High Court.

Before the court makes the ruling, however, it is expected to make an order on its jurisdiction in hearing the case.

In her chambers this morning, High Court judge Rosnaini Saub told all parties to submit written affidavits on the jurisdiction issue by Thursday.

Mohan's family is represented by A Rajesh Kumar, while the ministry, hospital and the government are represented by senior federal counsel Nizam Zakaria.

Mais is represented by Hanif Khatri Abdullah, while Balwant Singh Sidhu is appearing for the Malaysian Consultative Council.

The application for judicial review was filed by Mohan's family. They are disputing a claim by the Selangor Islamic Council (Mais) that the deceased was a Muslim when he died and as such should be buried according to Islamic rites.

The family has named the Health Ministry, the Sungai Buloh hospital director, the Selangor government, the federal government, and Mais as respondents.

The Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism is acting as an intervener.

On June 4, Mais had obtained an order from the Shah Alam Syariah High Court, which declared that Mohan, 41, was a Muslim. He died of a heart attack on May 25.

Employees of Mais then tried to claim the body for burial but the Sungai Buloh mortuary would not release it because the High Court had instructed that it was to be kept there until the religious status is determined.

Mais claimed that Mohan had converted to Islam in 1992. The family, however, said he had remained a practising Sikh, even conducted last rites for his mother who died three years ago.