Published: Jul 14, 2026, 18:12 IST | Updated: Jul 14, 2026, 18:12 IST
The Madras High Court just hit pause on politics as usual. It stayed bypolls to 5 assembly seats and told the Election Commission not to notify polls till July 31, citing pending election petitions. In a landmark move, the court also invoked a 1967 Supreme Court judgment that could make resignations and defections way more expensive politically. The message is clear: quit after winning and you may have to wait. This order could directly change how parties and MLAs play the defection game going forward