Madras HC Bars TVK Leader From Confidence Vote Over Postal Ballot Tampering Allegations

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Tuesday restrained TVK candidate Srinivasa Sethupathi from participating in the Assembly confidence vote scheduled to take place later in the day.

Madras High Court passed the interim order on a plea moved by former DMK minister Periyakaruppan who lost to TVK candidate by one vote. The order came while hearing a petition filed by former Tamil Nadu Minister KR Periyakaruppan, who sought to restrain Sethupathi from assuming office as an MLA over allegations that a postal ballot vote had been altered.

The According to the plea, a vote that was meant to be recorded in Tirupattur Constituency No. 185 was allegedly transferred to Tirupattur Constituency No. 50 in Vellore district.

Periyakaruppan approached the High Court after the Election Commission allegedly failed to take action on the complaint.During the hearing, the Election Commission submitted that, as per the rules, no action was required if a complaint regarding postal ballot discrepancies was received after the commencement of vote counting.

The Commission also stated that not a single postal vote had been transferred to another constituency.The court, however, observed that there was sufficient evidence supporting the complaint submitted by Periyakaruppan. The High Court subsequently restrained Srinivasa Sethupathi from participating in the Assembly confidence vote as an MLA.

The court also directed that all postal ballots be kept safely secured and ordered preservation of the related video footage.