

CHENNAI: DMK Tiruchy East Assembly candidate Inigo Irudhayaraj has filed a petition in the Madras High Court, challenging the victory of TVK president and current CM C Joseph Vijay from the constituency.
The petition prayed for declaring the victory of Vijay as null and void, and to issue directions to the ECI not to hold bypoll in the constituency until the election petition is disposed of.
Irudhayaraj, who lost to Vijay by 27,416 votes, alleged children were misused for electoral gains by the actor-turned politician, and he had suppressed facts on payment of income tax in the affidavit accompanying the nomination. He also accused TVK chief of not disclosing poll expenditure and violating poll code by campaigning in places of worship.
Meanwhile, AIADMK’s Prabhu filed a petition seeking to declare null and void the election of KA Sengottaiyan, the current revenue minister, from Gobichettipalayam. He alleged Sengottaiyan’s nomination papers were attested by a notary whose tenure had lapsed.
The victories of AIADMK’s Leema Rose Martin from Lalgudi and that of DMK’s V Muthuraja from Pudukkottai were also challenged.