Mumbai, March 25 (TNN): Can normal and routine functions of the government come to a standstill because of the election code of conduct? the Bombay high court on Monday asked the Maharashtra government. A division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice Mridula Bhatkar asked whether administrative decisions will not be taken because of the forthcoming elections.

The court's remarks came on a petition filed by Farooq Motorwala, an accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, who claimed that the state had refused to pass an order on his plea for being released on parole due to the code of conduct coming into force. Motorwala who is serving a life imprisonment for his role in the blasts, was released on parole on March 6 for 30 days. With his parole term expiring, he filed an application seeking that his leave be extended. The court asked additional public prosecutor K V Saste to submit the government's response to the plea. "Will the government stop arresting accused because of the code of conduct," asked the judges.