Zeenews Burea
Tamil Nadu: In a relief to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, Supreme Court on Wednesday quasheded criminal proceedings initiated against the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on the direction of the Madras High Court.
The apex court also asked the Madras High Court to re-examine its order directing EC to file case against Jayalalithaa for filing four nominations in 2001 assembly polls.
The bench asked the high court to examine the issue within four months.
In spite of being disqualified from contesting in the polls because of her conviction in a land deal case, she had filed nominations Andipatti, Krishnagiri, Bhuvanagiri and Pudukottai constituencies, which were all rejected.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court had rapped Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for filing multiple nominations during the 2001 Assembly polls.
"You had held top post in the state and held post only below to his excellency. You are a public figure in the state and you run a party. How can you do this?" a Bench of Justices H L Dattu and C K Prasad said while hearing a plea of the AIADMK chief seeking quashing of criminal proceedings against her for filing four nominations.
She had approached the apex court challenging Madras High Court's order directing the Election Commission to register a case against her in a magistrate court but the proceedings were stayed by the Supreme Court in July 2007.
The apex court also criticised the Returning Officer(RO) of the Election Commission for not initiating proceedings against her after she filed multiple nomination papers.
"Here is the Returning Officer who wanted to tow the line of this lady," the bench observed.
The bench also said that the High Court was not right in directing the Election Commission to register the case and it should have just directed the RO to re-examine the issue.
Senior advocate U U Lalit, appearing for the Chief Minister, submitted there was no suppression of facts on her part and she had revealed all informations in her nomination paper.
With PTI Inputs
First Published: Wednesday, November 21, 2012, 14:05