Seven years after the election of DMK working president M.K. Stalin from the Kolathur Assembly constituency, the Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed a plea moved by Saidai S. Duraisamy of the AIADMK, challenging the DMK leader’s election.
Justice M. Venugopal passed the order, noting that the allegations raised against Mr. Stalin were not proved beyond reasonable doubt.
Corruption charge
In 2011, soon after the election results were declared, Mr. Duraisamy approached the High Court through an election petition, assailing the election of Mr. Stalin. He alleged that the DMK leader managed to win the election by indulging in corrupt activities and exploiting the then government machinery.
Rejecting these contentions, the judge said, “This court comes to an irresistible conclusion that there was no categorical averment that Mr. Stalin had given his consent to his party functionaries to bribe the voters.”
“Stalin cannot be held even vicariously liable for the alleged act of his party functionaries in bribing the voters when the same was done without his consent,” the judge said.
