The Indian Supreme Court has said the trial of the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalitha Jayaram, by a special court, should go ahead while the Supreme Court considers a petition she has lodged.

In her petition, Miss Jayalalitha has challenged the state government's authority set up special courts to prosecute her.

The special courts were set up last year to speed up the trial against Jayalalitha and other former ministers who face forty-six corruption charges relating to the sale of government land.