CHENNAI: Tension prevailed in many parts of the state as the election commission rejected the nominations of more than 2,126 candidates, including that of Tirunelveli AMMK candidate P Balakrishnan alias Pal Kannan and MNM candidates N Rajkumar (Mettupalayam) and S Thanigavel (Tiruvallur).
The EC accepted 3,550 nominations (as of 11pm) of the 7,243 nominations received till Friday.
Returning officers scrutinised and accepted the papers of CM Edappadi K Palaniswami, his deputy O Panneerselvam, DMK president M K Stalin, BJP state president L Murugan, AMMK’s T T V Dhinakaran, MNM leader Kamal Haasan and DMDK leader Premalatha besides the ministers.
Tempers rose at Tirumangalam election office when the AMMK raised objections to the nomination of minister R B Udayakumar.
It was alleged the papers had the attestation of government public prosecutor and not that of a notary public as per election norms. Officials, however, accepted Udayakumar’s papers later.
Tirunelveli election officials rejected Pal Kannan’s nomination, but accepted the party’s substitute, Mahesh Kannan. Pal Kannan claimed that his papers were not accepted due to a mistake in the electoral roll relating to two people who proposed his candidacy.
In a representation, he said he had only mentioned the details as mentioned in the voters’ identity card.
The nomination papers of AISMK candidate Alagesan were also rejected.
Demanding acceptance of their nominations, AMMK and AISMK candidates continued to wait with their suuporters in front of the Tirunelveli sub-collector’s office till late into the night.
The BJP has fielded former minister Nainar Nagendran in Tirunelveli.
MNM candidate Rajkumar had mentioned the party’s name in the space for recognized party instead of registered unrecognized party.
Unlike other candidates, he had not submitted multiple nomination papers.
As MNM had not nominated other candidates, it could not contest from the segment.
Shortly after the announcement was made, the candidate with supporters approached the returning officer to submit a petition seeking an opportunity to contest from the segment. But the official refused to accept the petition.
Nomination of Aravakurichi BJP candidate K Annamalai was set aside for some time after DMK members charged that he had not furnished proper details on the cases against him.
It was later cleared by officials, who ruled out any discrepancy. Similarly, a decision on M Mathivendhan, the DMK candidate for Rasipuram (reserve) constituency in Namakkal district, was withheld for a while, after the AIADMK alleged double entries in the voters’ list. Officials accepted Mathivendhan’s nomination after he produced documents to delete his name from Namakkal.
In Alangulam assembly segment in Tenkasi district, the nomination of AISMK candidate S Selvakumar was rejected as he filed nomination forms A and B for two different parties.