# Madras High Court rulings on MLA resignations > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/madras-high-court-rulings-on-mla-resignations > Updated: 2026-09-21T17:06:52.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2. The Madras High Court has addressed legal challenges regarding the resignation of elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) following general elections. Initially, the court declined to stay bye-elections in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies but criticized the practice of resigning representatives. A division bench remarked that such resignations constitute an “insult to voters” and questioned if the Election Commission of India should establish guidelines to prevent the process from becoming a “mockery of democracy.” This legal scrutiny followed the resignation of six AIADMK MLAs who joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), with some former MLAs contesting by-elections in the seats they recently vacated. In subsequent proceedings regarding a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to bar resigned MLAs from contesting by-elections for five years, the court clarified its jurisdictional limits. The bench stated that only Parliament has the authority to enact laws regarding the barring of resigned members from contesting by-elections. The court noted it lacks the legislative power to impose statutory restrictions or direct the recovery of election expenses in the absence of existing laws. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-21: Madras High Court: Only Parliament can bar resigned MLAs from bypolls The Madras High Court ruled that only Parliament can legislate to bar resigned MLAs from contesting by-elections or to mandate the recovery of election expenses. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/madras-high-court-only-parliament-can-bar-resigned-mlas-from-bypolls ### 2026-09-16: Madras High Court criticizes MLA resignations as mockery of democracy The Madras High Court refused to stay bye-elections in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, while criticizing MLA resignations as an “insult to voters” and a “mockery of democracy.” 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/madras-high-court-criticizes-mla-resignations-as-mockery-of-democracy --- Cite as: Madras High Court rulings on MLA resignations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/madras-high-court-rulings-on-mla-resignations