‘Lakshman Rekha’ between judiciary & legislature must be maintained at all times, says Madras HC

The Court dismissed a plea against MLAs who had contested under symbols of other parties

The Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation petition which had sought a direction to the Legislative Assembly Secretariat to treat the MLAs, who had contested on election symbols belonging to other political parties, as members of the latter parties and not as those belonging to their parent parties. Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu rejected the plea after observing that it was the prerogative of the Speaker to treat the MLAs in a particular fashion inside the House and the court could not interfere in such matters. They said the ‘Lakshman Rekha’ between the legislature and the judiciary must be maintained at all times.