NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today dismissed a petition seeking cancellation of the membership of Lok Sabha of parliamentarian Anbumani Ramadoss on the ground that he did not vote in the presidential election last year.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra dismissed the PIL filed by a Tamil Nadu resident R Muthukrishnan seeking to cancel the membership of Pattali Makkal Katchi leader Ramdoss, who represents Dharmapuri constituency, alleging he had cheated the people by not voting in the presidential polls.
"He might not have voted in the presidential election but how can he be disqualified by us? Law must provide that he shall be disqualified for not voting in the presidential election," the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said.
On a lighter vein, the court advised the petitioner not to vote for Ramdoss next time.
The PMK leader had boycotted the presidential polls that was held on July 17 last year, after which Ram Nath Kovind was elected as the 14th President of India.
His party had announced in the media that its lone MP would not participate in the polls unless the ruling NDA assured him formation of the long-awaited Cauvery Management Board on the river water sharing dispute.