Chennai: The Madras high court has dismissed as not maintainable a petition filed by Bahujan Samaj Party candidate for the RK Nagar byelection, which sought to disqualify AIADMK candidate E.Madhusudhanan, DMK candidate N.Maruthu Ganesh and independent candidate TTV Dinakaran from contesting the byelection since they were allegedly involved in electoral malpractices during the previous cancelled bye election.
A division bench comprising Justices T.S.Sivagnanam and K.Ravichandrabaabu dismissed the petition filed by A.C.Sathyamurthy. In his petition, Sathyamurthy alleged that during the previous byelection, which was cancelled by the ECI, various articles including sarees meant for distribution to the voters as bribe valued over 1.59 crore were seized by the officials of ECI. Over 40 cases were registered and 82 persons involved in such activities were arrested.
Various incriminating materials were seized in the raids conducted by the Income Tax department at the residence of health minister Vijay Baskar and Samamthuva Makkal Katchi founder Sarathkumar. Madhusudanan, Maruthu Ganesh and Dinakaran were also alleged to have involved in such offences, he added.
