The Madras High Court on Wednesday refused to stay the Election Commission of India's recent orders to de-register political parties that have not contested Legislative Assembly or Parliamentary elections in the last six years. Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan ruled that no interim order could protect these parties, as it might allow them to contest the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Senior counsel G. Rajagopalan, representing the ECI, argued that the balance of convenience favored the commission because these parties had not participated in any election for six years. Parties like Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, and Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi challenged their de-registration through writ petitions. They questioned the ECI's authority, claiming the Representation of the People Act, 1951 only covers party registration, not de-registration. The petitioners cited a 2002 Supreme Court verdict that said parties could be de-registered only in extreme cases such as fraud or violation of constitutional principles. However, the ECI countered by pointing to guidelines issued in 2014 under Article 324 of the Constitution. These guidelines require parties to contest elections within six years, or face de-registration. The ECI argued these rules stop misuse of public donations by inactive parties. The petitioners also claimed participation in local body elections or elections under other party symbols should count, but the ECI said only participation in elections conducted by them matters. The court accepted the petitions raise constitutional issues and has scheduled the final hearing for the second week of March 2026.