Madras High Court criticizes MLA resignations as mockery of democracy

The Madras High Court has declined to stay bye-elections for the Madurantakam and Dharapuram assembly constituencies, but issued strong observations regarding the resignation of elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).

A division bench comprising Justices SM Subramaniam and Krishnanaswamy Govindarajan remarked that the resignation of elected representatives amounts to an “insult to voters” who placed their trust in them. The court questioned whether the Election Commission of India (ECI) should frame specific guidelines under Article 324 of the Constitution to prevent such actions from becoming a “mockery of democracy.”

The legal challenge follows the resignation of six AIADMK MLAs who subsequently joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The petitioner noted that two of these former MLAs are now standing as TVK candidates in the very constituencies they vacated, shortly after the general elections.