Resigned MLAs seeking re-election in bypolls may amount to insulting voters: Madras High Court judge
Justice S.M. Subramaniam wonders why the Election Commission of India should not frame guidelines to address the issue
The Madras High Court has ruled that elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) who resign their posts only to recontest in by-elections for another political party may be seen as insulting the voters' choice. Justice S.M. Subramaniam, along with Justice K. Govindarajan, questioned why the Election Commission of India (ECI) should not investigate the issue further and establish guidelines to prevent what they deemed a "mockery of democracy."
The court was hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by Chennai-based advocate K. Suthan, who argued that six AIADMK MLAs in Tamil Nadu, who had resigned and joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), should not be allowed to contest the by-elections in their former constituencies. The court adjourned the case to September 18 for further consideration by the first Division Bench.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Hindu's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
