Supreme Court Halts High Court's Restriction on MLA Sethupathi

The Supreme Court stayed a Madras High Court order restricting TVK MLA R Sreenivasa Sethupathi from participating in the Tamil Nadu Assembly floor test. The apex court has paused proceedings while reviewing the validity of the high court's interim order impacting assembly participation during trust votes.

The Supreme Court has placed a stay on the Madras High Court's directive that prevented TVK MLA R Sreenivasa Sethupathi from taking part in the floor test of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.

During the hearing, the bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and Vijay Bishnoi expressed their surprise, noting that the high court entertained an Article 226 petition despite suggesting an election petition as the remedy. Article 226 empowers high courts to issue certain writs. This decision comes as the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) secured a trust vote, defeating opposition by a wide margin amid internal disputes in the AIADMK.

The apex court's notice, issued in response to Sethupathi's challenge of the high court's interim order, pauses ongoing high court proceedings and impacts his assembly participation. The order follows allegations against Sethupathi's election victory, which involved disputed ballot issues and electronic vote discrepancies. The Supreme Court's intervention prevents further high court actions until a resolution is reached.