Supreme Court Stays Madras High Court's Order on Controversial Floor Test Ban

The Supreme Court intervened decisively on Wednesday, staying a controversial Madras High Court order that barred TVK MLA R Sreenivasa Sethupathi from participating in a crucial floor test in the Tamil Nadu assembly. The ban was labelled "atrocious" by the apex court, emphasizing its unsuitability under writ jurisdiction.

This development marked a significant victory for the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government, which secured a crucial trust vote win with a 144:22 margin in the assembly. The vote proceeded amid a walkout by the opposition DMK and division within AIADMK, presenting a complex political scenario following the closely monitored electoral process in the No.185 Tiruppattur constituency.

At the crux of the legal battle is a disputed vote margin, where Sethupathi's single-vote victory was contested by DMK's K R Periakaruppan. The controversy involved a postal ballot allegedly misplaced, igniting claims of election discrepancies. The Supreme Court has allowed two weeks for counter-affidavits in the ongoing case.

(With inputs from agencies.)