Acceptance of Annamalai’s nomination questioned; contestants allege contravention of ECI norms

Terming it a violation of the norms of Election Commission of India, AIADMK candidate Singai G. Ramachandran told mediapersons that he will move the court.

K Annamalai. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Advocates for the AIADMK and the Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK) candidates for Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency on March 28 made a representation to the Returning Officer and Coimbatore Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati questioning acceptance of the nomination of the BJP candidate K. Annamalai, citing the uploading of the affidavit at 5.17 p.m. beyond the deadline.

Terming it a violation of the norms of Election Commission of India, AIADMK candidate Singai G. Ramachandran told mediapersons that he will move the court. His contention was that the Collector had uploaded the new affidavit after he had come to submit the complaint.

Advocates representing the DMK candidate claimed they were the first to question acceptance of Mr. Annamalai’s nomination, “in contravention of ECI norms.”

The Returning Officer said the affidavit was inadvertently posted online and that the new affidavit was subsequently uploaded.