The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has dismissed a petition filed by an independent candidate from Sivaganga district, contesting for the post of ward member (Ward 27) in Sivaganga Municipality. He sought a direction to the State Election Commission to cancel the nomination filed by a couple.
The petitioner L. Kulanthaisamy also sought a direction to the State Election Commission to initiate penal action against the couple G. Marimuthu and M. Parameswari. He alleged that they had suppressed facts with regard to the pending criminal cases against them.
In spite of the objections raised, the Returning Officer had accepted their nominations, he said. It was submitted that Parameswari had withdrawn her nomination. But, Marimuthu was in the fray for the election.
A Division Bench of Justices Paresh Upadhyay and Krishnan Ramasamy observed the grievance that the nomination form was improperly accepted can be a ground to challenge the election before an appropriate forum.
Even if the grievance of the petitioner was justified, it would not be proper for this court at this stage to interfere in the election process. Entertaining such a petition would only complicate the election. Therefore, this petition needs to be dismissed, the judges said.
