The Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed criminal proceedings in two cases filed by the Election Commission against Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for filing four nomination papers in the 2001 Assembly elections.
A Bench comprising justices H L Dattu and C K Prasad also remanded the matter back to the Madras High Court to re-examine its order on the ground that the High Court had not taken into account the reports of two Returning Officers while issuing the directions. Apart from Bhuvanagiri and Pudukkottai constituencies, Jayalalithaa had filed nomination papers in Andipatti and Krishnagiri. The Election Commission had registered a criminal complaint on the direction of the High Court based on a writ petition filed by DMK leader C K Kuppusamy.
Though Jayalalithaa had filed nomination papers in Andipatti, Krishnagiri, Bhuvanagiri and Pudukkottai constituencies, all the papers were rejected as she was disqualified from contesting polls at that time after her conviction in a case.