The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered status quo in a case registered against AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa on the directions of the Madras High Court for allegedly filing nominations from four constituencies in violation of the provisions of the Representation of People’s Act. A candidate is entitled to file nominations from a maximum of two constituencies.

Challenging the High Court order, she filed an appeal before the apex court. Perusing the arguments, the Bench of Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran also issued notices to the respondents, including the Election Commission of India.

The High Court on June 13, 2007, directed the EC to initiate action against Jayalalithaa. Aggrieved by it, the former Chief Minister challenged the registration of a case by the EC.

In the 2001 state Assembly elections, Jayalalithaa had filed her nomination papers from four constituencies.

According to DMK MP Kupuswamy, who approached the High Court and later the EC, when the AIADMK chief filed nominations to two additional constituencies on April 24, she was aware that she had already filed two previous ones. It maintained that Jayalalithaa lied on oath.

However, on Tuesday, challenging the said order, the appellant informed that there was no question of false declaration and Section 177 IPC was not attracted at all. Further, the counsel informed that the nominations filed by her in all the constituencies were rejected by the authorities and she did not contest the said elections at all.