CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has dismissed the election petition filed by AIADMK candidate V Ramu challenging the victory of DMK general secretary Duraimurugan in the 2021 Assembly polls in Katpadi constituency in Vellore district. Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan, allowing an application filed by Duraimurugan for rejecting the election petition, dismissed the petition on the grounds of it becoming infructuous and no material evidence to prove the allegations raised.
Ramu had lost the polls by a margin of 746 votes and filed the petition 2021 challenging the victory of Duraimurugan alleging the counting of votes was not properly done and the postal ballots were not attested by gazetted officers.
The judge noted that the period of the Assembly expired in May 2026, and since the petition was not filed on the ground of corrupt practice against the successful candidate, the rest of the ground would be rendered infructuous.
He pointed out that the petitioner and the first respondent, Duraimurugan, had contested the April 2026 elections in the same constituency and had lost. “Therefore, nothing survives in this election petition to proceed since this court is of the considered view that the election petition has become infructuous,” the judge said in the order passed on Tuesday.
He noted that there is no piece of evidence available on record to show that on the date of counting, the petitioner raised any objection with regard to the allegation that the counting was not done properly. “Therefore, all the allegations are vague, bald and bereft of material facts and particulars. The election petition is liable to be dismissed for violation of mandatory provision under Section 83 (1) (a) of the RP Act,” he said.
