The Madras high court on Friday held that the Election Commission's order on the transfer of city police commissioner R Natraj was "not binding" at this point of time.
"However, the Election Commission has ample powers to issue such directions after issue of election notifications [on April 13]," a division bench comprising justice P K Misra and Justice S M Ibrahim Kallifulla said while disposing of a number of petitions challenging and favouring the order.
The Tamil Nadu government is one of the petitioners who challenged the EC order.
"The EC order of March 14 need not be considered as a binding direction," the judges held.
Stating that the Tamil Nadu government should be "alive to its responsibility", the bench held that it should adopt a "pragmatic approach" and sit with the EC to discuss the matter.
Referring to Natraj's comments on Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on International Women's Day, the judges held that the officer should have been "more circumspect while passing such remarks".
Natraj had reportedly said that 'an ideal woman is someone who manages both her personal and professional life well and this respect I think our Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is a perfect example of an ideal woman. I think she is an icon and every woman should look up to her'.