NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday granted an interim stay on high court verdict disqualifying A Raja from the post of Devikulam MLA. The stay was on the appeal filed by A Raja. With this, he can attend the assembly proceedings, but will not have the right to vote. He will also have no right to receive assembly allowance and remuneration. The verdict has been stayed until the case is heard in July.

UDF candidate D Kumar’s lawyer argued in court that one who forged the document should not be allowed to attend the assembly procedures. Meantime, the court granted relief accepting Raja’s claim that election will be held if there is no stay. The court asked how will he prove that he is not following Christianity.

The high court quashed the assembly elections of Devikulam constituency last month. The high court pronounced the verdict accepting the plea of UDF candidate D Kumar that Raja had contested in Devikulam constituency, which belongs to the Scheduled Caste reservation category, by presenting a fake caste certificate. The high court annulled the victory of A Raja, who won from Devikulam constituency.