Theni MP’s plea against election petition rejected

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday dismissed a plea moved by Theni MP P Raveendranath Kumar seeking to reject the election petition moved by a voter challenging his victory at Theni.

Raveendrananth, in his plea said, the entire facts stated by the petitioner, Milani, was false and there was no material evidence proving the allegations. He also said the petitioner is a member of the opposition party DMK, and he had failed to disclose it.

The case pertains to Milani accusing the MP — the son of Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam — of distributing money to voters in his constituency during the 2019 polls. The petitioner also said the entire incident of bribing the voters in the locality in April 2019, was brought to the notice of election officials, however, they went ahead with the elections.

Milani stated that the MP’s brother handed out `1,000 each to the voters at Thendral Nagar to win with a comfortable margin.  Justice MS Ramesh, rejecting the submissions moved by the MP, said, “This court is of the view that the petitioner has prima facie made a cause of action. The election petition could not be termed as scandalous and immature.”