Supreme Court Halts Disqualification of Mukul Roy Amid Party Switch

The Supreme Court has temporarily halted the Calcutta High Court's decision disqualifying veteran politician Mukul Roy as an MLA after he defected to the Trinamool Congress from the BJP. The interim order was issued while considering a petition by Roy's son, challenging the high court's ruling under the anti-defection law.

The Supreme Court has granted relief to long-time politician Mukul Roy by staying the Calcutta High Court's decision that disqualified him as a member of the West Bengal Assembly. The high court had previously found Roy in violation of the anti-defection law after he switched allegiances to the Trinamool Congress from the BJP.

A bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, was reviewing the petition filed by Roy's son, Subhranshu Roy. The bench criticized the high court for exceeding its jurisdiction and emphasized the necessity of proving the authenticity of electronic evidence, such as social media posts, particularly with the rise of AI-generated content.

Lawyer Preetika Dwivedi, representing Subhranshu Roy, argued that the high court misinterpreted the judicial powers given under the Constitution. The case comes amid discussions about the limitations of electronic evidence and the role of the Speaker in disqualification proceedings under India's anti-defection laws.

(With inputs from agencies.)