The Madras High Court on Wednesday rejected an election petition challenging the victory of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran as an independent candidate from R.K. Nagar Assembly constituency on the ground of having allegedly indulged in corrupt practices.
Justice G. Jayachandran allowed an application filed by Mr. Dhinakaran to reject the election petition moved by M.L. Ravi, of Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi, one of the contestants in the by-election held for the constituency on December 21, 2017.
The judge held that there were no material facts to prove voters having been bribed during the election and the court could not entertain an election petition on the basis of vague allegations circulated on social media.
He also said that the victory of Mr. Dhinakaran exhibited the will of the people to return him from their Constituency to the Assembly and such a decision could not be upset on the basis of allegations not backed by factual particulars.
The judge added that the rescinding of the earlier bypoll to the constituency due to corrupt practices could also not be cited as a reason to challenge the subsequent byelection in which Mr. Dhinakaran has emerged victorious.
Justice Jayachandran observed that the Election Commission of India had taken all precautionary measures during the subsequent bypoll by installing CCTV cameras in the constituency and deleting over 40,000 double and bogus entries in the voters’ list.
