KOCHI: The High Court denied a writ petition which was filed in the Kerala High Court on Tuesday seeking a directive to the Election Commission to make the nine MLAs who have decided to contest the Lok Sabha elections bear the expenses of the byelections to be conducted for their vacated Assembly seats in the event of their victory in the elections.

"In fact, every election had become expensive. Byelections would be forced on the people if they won the parliamentary seats because of the political ambitions of these MLAs and the parties sponsoring them. The frequent byelections were a drain on the exchequer besides resulting in loss of productivity and manpower', said the petitioner.

However, the court observed that the candidacy of MLAs is completely legal and therfore, the cost of byelection cannot be levied from them. The petitioner had to withdraw the petition.