New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) In a breather for former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan, the Supreme Court Thursday stayed proceedings before the Election Commission into allegations that he understated expenses on newspaper advertisements during the 2009 assembly elections.

An apex court bench headed by Justice Altamas Kabir stayed the proceedings after senior counsel Gopal Subramaniam mentioned Chavan’s petition challenging the proceedings before the Election Commission.

The proceedings were to commence Friday.

Subramaniam said the Election Commission had no jurisdiction to undertake such proceedings as that can be done only by the Election Tribunal.

The matter was listed for further hearing Dec 2.