The Election Commission (EC) on Monday informed the Madras High Court that notice has been issued to the AIADMK and the DMK in connection with complaints of bribing of voters by their respective candidates in Aravakurichi and Thanjavur Assembly constituencies during the May 2016 elections. The elections to these constituencies were annulled following these charges and are now being held on November 19.
The First Bench of Chief Justice S.K. Kaul and Justice R. Mahadevan sought to know from the Additional Solicitor General (ASG), who represented the EC, as to how much time would it take to complete the proceedings, since the notices were issued on May 5. As the ASG sought time to obtain instructions from the EC, the Bench posted the petitions to November 14 for further hearing.
The issue pertains to three separate Public Interest Litigation petitions moved seeking to hold an inquiry under Section 10 A (disqualification for failure to lodge account of election expenses) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 against the candidates of AIADMK and DMK for Aravakurichi and Thanjavur Assembly constituencies where elections were cancelled following seizure of huge money.
The petitioners also wanted the court to restrain the EC from receiving the nomination forms from the four candidates of AIADMK and DMK in view of their “proved corrupt practices”.
According to the petitioners, the EC and the Income Tax department conducted inspection and raids at various places across the 234 Assembly constituencies in the State in view of the May 16 Assembly elections, which led to raids at the houses of some candidates and seizure of money as well.
The petitioner said various other raids conducted by the Income Tax Department in the houses of prominent people living in and around the two constituencies led to the seizure of over Rs. 100 crore.
Hence, the petitioners sought a proper inquiry into the incidents.
