Declining to stay the Election Commission order in the electoral rolls issue, the Madras high court on Thursday ordered issuance of notice to the Chief Election Commissioner and the Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer.

The court order came on a petition filed by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Acting on the report of a two-member team that toured Tamil Nadu to verify the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's complaints of large-scale inclusion of bogus voters by AIADMK, the EC had on Wednesday directed authorities to file cases against the office bearers of the political party that filed bulk applications.

It, however, did not name any political party.

AIADMK election wing secretary O Pannerselvam on Thursday filed a petition seeking to stay the EC order. Admitting the petition, Justice K Raviraja Pandiyan, ordered issuance of notice returnable in a week.

The petitioner also requested the court to restrain the CEC from taking legal action against AIADMK functionaries who submitted bulk applications on behalf of individuals. He contended that the functionaries could not be punished for the incorrect details given by the individuals.

He alleged that the opposition parties, to divert attention from their defeat in the recent Assembly bypolls, had been making false allegations against the AIADMK and the EC had acted on these allegations and deputed two of its officials to enquire into it.