The Hindu : Front Page : EC rejects papers of TDP nominee in Khanapur

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Wednesday, May 14, 2008
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EC rejects papers of TDP nominee in Khanapur

Special Correspondent

Candidature of Ramesh Rathod’s wife finalised

Ramesh Rathod

HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam Party suffered a setback on Tuesday when the nomination papers of its candidate in Khanapur (ST) Assembly constituency, Ramesh Rathod, were rejected by the Returning Officer on the ground that he was convicted in a criminal case.

Left with no other alternative, the TDP leadership finalised the candidature of Ramesh Rathod’s wife, Suman Rathod, who had filed her nomination as a back-up in case his papers were rejected.

Chief Electoral Officer I. V. Subba Rao told reporters that Ramesh Rathod, who is the Adilabad Zilla Parishad chairman, faced trial in a court under Section 352 of IPC for assault on a forest officer sometime ago, and was convicted. A higher court suspended the punishment but retained the conviction. A person convicted by a court of law is barred from contesting elections.The TDP camp went through some anxious moments in the Secunderabad Assembly constituency too as officials kept in animated suspension the papers of its candidate, T. Srinivas Yadav, for sometime. This followed complaints that he had not cleared arrears to the government towards occupation of Government quarters as MLA and Minister.

The Returning Officer later accepted his nomination after close examination of the election law with reference to some Supreme Court judgment dealing with a typical case of this nature. The Congress received a similar jolt in Jadcherla Assembly constituency with poll officials initially rejecting the papers of Mallu Ravi on the ground that he was facing a criminal case for assaulting a Sub-Inspector during elections to the local bodies in 2001.

Mallu Ravi cleared

The party heaved a sigh of relief when the nomination was later cleared. Mr. Subba Rao explained that Mr. Ravi was not convicted though he might be facing trial. Only conviction would disqualify a person from contesting the polls. Nominations of 14 others were also rejected — one in Adilabad parliamentary constituency and 13 elsewhere on technical grounds. Most of them were independents.

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