CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday directed that cases filed against former and sitting MPs and MLAs alone, and not those filed by the elected legislators against others, should be listed before special courts.

The issue pertains to the suo motu proceedings initiated on a direction issued by the Supreme Court on a plea moved by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay seeking direction to the Centre to take steps to debar persons convicted of offences under the Representation of People Act from contesting elections.

During the hearing on Thursday, the High Court registry informed the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy that all vacancies in the Special Court functioning from Chennai Collectorate complex were filled. The court then adjourned the case by 12 weeks.