S.T. MUTHUSAMI vs K. NATARAJAN & ORS.

The Supreme Court ruled that the High Court cannot interfere with an ongoing election process under the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1958, after its commencement and before the declaration of results. The Court emphasized that the Returning Officer's decision regarding symbol allotment, based on the rules and the claims of candidates, should not be disrupted at an intermediate stage. The judgment upheld the election process, affirming the authority of the Returning Officer in symbol allocation as per Rule 17(1) of the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Conduct of Election) Rules, 1978.