CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday dismissed an election petition seeking declaration of former minister and DMK leader V Senthil Balaji’s victory in the Coimbatore South Assembly seat as null and void. Justice N Anand Venkatesh dismissed the plea, filed by Prakasam, on the ground that he was not a voter of the constituency.
The judge noted that section 81 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 provides for only the elector of the particular constituency to file such a petition. The judge commented that if everyone is allowed to file election petitions, it will lead to flooding of such petitions after every election.
Meanwhile, Justice G Arul Murugan ordered notice to LoP Udhayanidhi Stalin and directed him to reply to the petition filed by P Milany, a candidate, challenging his victory in the Assembly polls from the Chepauk-Triplicane segment. The judge granted three weeks for filing the reply after rectifying defects in the petition.