The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Election of four more MLAs challenged in High Court

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 23, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Election of four more MLAs challenged in High Court

Special Correspondent

Four similar petitions have already been filed Independent candidate challenges election of Transport Minister, claims nomination papers unjustly rejected

CHENNAI: The election of four more MLAs — three in Tamil Nadu and one in Pondicherry — has been challenged in the Madras High Court. Four similar election petitions have already been filed in the court.

The MLAs whose victory has been questioned in the present batch of petitions are K.N. Nehru (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) in Tiruchi-II constituency, T. Malaravan (All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) in Coimbatore (West), M. Rajasekaran (Congress) in Thottiyam segment and P.R. Shiva in Thirunallar constituency in Pondicherry.

An Independent candidate, S. Victor, who has challenged the election of Transport Minister K.N. Nehru, said his nomination papers were unjustly rejected by the authorities. Describing himself as a social worker, he said his parent's name was incorrectly mentioned in the electoral rolls due to a printing mistake. Despite his furnishing the electoral rolls of 2001 besides ration cards, the authorities had rejected his papers. He pleaded for a re-poll.

A.S. Maheswari of the Congress, questioning the election of Mr. Malaravan, said the AIADMK candidate had furnished false and misleading information regarding his academic qualification. She said he indulged in corrupt electoral practices and had lured voters with money. She wanted the election to be declared null and void.

Mr. Natarajan, in his petition, said M. Rajasekaran of Congress was elected by a margin of only 53 votes from Thottiyam constituency. He accused the Returning Officer of having failed to divulge details relating to postal ballots. While the petitioner got only 24 postal votes, Mr. Rajasekaran received 296 votes.

R. Kamalakannan of Congress, who has sought to invalidate elections in Thirunallar constituency in Pondicherry, said the victorious candidate P.R. Shiva and his supporters bribed villagers by distributing gifts. He claimed to possess video evidence.

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