'Quashing orders' explained

A few people have recently asked me what a quashing order is, so here's a quick brief on it.

The queries cames from news reports that Singapore's NBN NetCo OpenNet had sought a quashing order against the government. Exact details of the quashing order are currently not known as the order sought has been sealed.

A quashing order is what used to be known as certiorari and is extremely rare in local jurisprudence. The courts have the power to issue to any authority any order including prerogative orders such as quashing orders. These orders are sought as part of the judicial review process of administrative (government) actions which are challenged on grounds of being beyond authority granted by law.