CHENNAI: The
Madras high court on Thursday dismissed as not maintainable a plea moved by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate for RK Nagar byelection seeking to disqualify AIADMK candidate E
Madhusudhanan
, DMK candidate N Maruthu Ganesh and independent candidate TTV
Dhinakaran from contesting the December 21 bypoll.
BSP candidate AC Sathyamurthy wanted their disqualification on the ground that they had been allegedly involved in electoral malpractices during the previous byelection which was cancelled by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
“During the previous election, various articles including saris meant for distribution among voters as bribe valued over Rs 1.59 crore were seized by the officials of the ECI. Over 40 cases were registered and 82 people involved in such malpractices were arrested. This apart, various incriminating materials were seized in raids conducted by the income tax department in the residence of health minister C Vijayabaskar and Samathuva Makkal Katchi founder R Sarathkumar, the petitioner said.
Based on the complaint made by the income tax department, the ECI on April 9 cancelled the byelection. Madhusudhanan, Dhinakaran and Maruthu Ganesh had also been allegedly involved in such offences, the petitioner said and wanted the ECI to prohibit them from contesting.
When the plea came up for hearing, a division bench of Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice K Ravichandrabaabu dismissed the plea as not maintainable.
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