The Supreme Court decision in the Disproportionate Assets Case tomorrow will decide the fate of V.K. Sasikala and in many ways the future of Tamil Nadu politics as well.
The case will be taken up by a 2-judge Bench comprising Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Amitava Roy. Here are the various scenarios that can play out in tomorrow's verdict:
| Both Judges convict the accused | Conviction |
| Both Judges acquit the accused | Acquittal |
| One Judge convicts and the other acquits | Case will be referred to a third judge |
| Case is sent back to Karnataka High Court for fresh disposal of the appeal | Karnataka HC will relook at the case afresh |
| One judge convicts while the other sends the Case back to Karnataka High Court | Case will be referred to a third judge |
| One judge acquits while the other sends the Case back to Karnataka High Court | Case will be referred to a third judge |
In the bigger scheme of things, what does an acquittal or conviction mean?
Acquittal:
If Ms. Sasikala is acquitted of all charges, there will effectively be no legal barrier preventing her from becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. She will then have to get elected to the Assembly within six months of swearing-in.
Conviction:
If Ms. Sasikala is convicted, she will be arrested and sent to prison in Karnataka. She will not be allowed to contest elections for six years.
The Sasikala camp will then face the option of choosing a new leader or joining the OPS front.
