HC rejects PC's plea against election petition

The Madras High Court on Thursday rejected an application by Home Minister P Chidambaram seeking dismissal of the election petition filed by his immediate

All India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagam rival R S 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.

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," he added.

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 June 25, 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.