HC rejects Chidambaram's plea against election petition

Chennai: The Madras High Court today rejected an application by Home Minister P Chidambaram seeking dismissal of the election petition filed by his immediate AIADMK rival RS Raja Kannappan challenging his election to Lok Sabha from Sivaganga constituency in 2009 General Elections. In his application, Chidambaram had contended that there were some defects in the petition filed by Kannappan, who lost the election by just 3,354 votes, and sought its dismissal. [caption id=“attachment_54196” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Chidambaram had contended that there were some defects in the petition filed by Kannappan. PTI”]  [/caption] Chidambaram had claimed that the high court registry had noted the defects when the petition was filed by Kannappan. Dismissing Chidambaram’s application, Justice K Venkatraman said, “There cannot be any doubt that an Election petition filed with defects which cannot be curable cannot be considered as an election petition at the end. However, in the case on hand, the defects pointed out by the officer concerned are not defects which are not curable warranting dismissal of the election petition.” The Judge said he was of the considered view that the application preferred by Chidambaram “is liable to be rejected and accordingly rejected.” Kannappan in his petition filed on 25 June, 2009 alleged that Chidambaram’s election ‘deserved’ to be declared void due to ‘manipulation’ of votes and ‘corrupt practices’ committed by him, his election agents and others, with his consent. He had also sought recount of the votes polled in the entire constituency, particularly in the Alangudi Assembly segment. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa during her visit to New Delhi in June last had sought the resignation of Chidambaram alleging that he got himself elected to the Parliament by ‘fraudulent’ means. She had alleged that Chidambaram was announced the successful candidate because of a fraud committed by a data entry operator, but the Union Minister hit back saying her remarks were ‘gross contempt of court’. PTI