SC quashes EC plaints against Jayalalithaa

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday received a shot in the arm as the Supreme Court quashed two criminal complaints filed by the election commission against the AIADMK chief for filing nomination papers from four constituencies in the 2001 assembly elections.

Aggrieved by the 2007 Madras high court that set EC in action, Jayalalithaa petitioned the top court seeking quashing of the HC order that had also directed EC to register a case against her in a magistrate court.

The Supreme Court had stayed the proceedings five years ago. Disposing of Jayalalithaa’s law suit, a bench of justices HL Dattu and CK Prasad referred it to the HC for fresh reconsideration asking it to finally conclude the issue within four months.

This judgment assumes significance as it deals with the elections that took place in 2001 after which the legislative assembly was  constituted twice. It had taken six years for the HC to take a decision and after five years the top court took the limited view on the contentious issue while leaving the core matter for the HC’s decision.

Thus, the election dispute over Jayalalithaa’s 2001 election may remain alive for some more time.