Court order against Bishop of Madras stayed

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has stayed the operation of the orders of a lower court preventing Dr V Devasahayam, bishop of Madras, from participating in the meetings scheduled to be held this month.Justice K Venkataraman granted the injunction while passing interim orders on a review petition from Devasahayam, questioning the order dated November 2 last of the XVI Assistant Civil Judge, City Civil Court, Chennai.Advocate Abdul Hameed submitted that Devasahayam was declared elected as bishop in 1999. There was a legal battle and a single judge of the Madras High Court held that Devasahayam was entitled to hold the post till the age of 65 years, in June 2009. The matter went up to the Supreme Court, which in September 2011 upheld the orders of the single judge.While so, the aggrieved persons -- G Albert Jayaraj and others -- moved the City Civil Court and obtained a stay a couple of days ago.Advocate Abdul Hameed contented that the relief sought for by the plaintiffs in the suit was against the orders of the Supreme Court. The lower court judge had failed to note that the suit was an abuse of process of court.