The Madras high court on Tuesday ordered issue of notice returnable by four weeks to the law ministry and the election commission of India on a petition challenging the increase in amount of security deposit from candidates contesting Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

Justice P.Jyothimani ordered notice on a writ petition by G.Murugendran of Ramanathapuram who sought a direction to strike down the recent amendment to section 34 of the Representation of Peoples Act and direct union government and the election commission to follow the earlier stipulated deposit amount as per the Representation of Peoples (Amendment)Act 1996.

In 2009, the government amended the Representation of Peoples Act 1996 in which it increased the security deposit for general candidates contesting parliamentary elections from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 and for scheduled caste/scheduled tribe from Rs 5,000 to Rs 12,500.

For assembly elections, security deposit was increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 for general candidates and from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000 for SC/ST, it was contended.

The petitioner contended the amendment to Section 34 was "indirectly encouraging the rich people" and on other hand "discouraging" the poor people and "the said amendment is therefore constitutionally invalid and liable to be set aside."