PIL on disqualification of AIADMK bypoll candidate

Chennai, Sep 28 (UNI) A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in Madras High Court today seeking to disqualify AIADMK Candidate V Rajan Chellappa from contesting the October 11 Madurai Central Assembly By-election.

In his PIL, Advocate K Muthuramalingam said Mr Chellappa had filed his nomination papers along with an affidavit in which he supressed a case under Sec 3 of the Explosives Act pending on the file of the CBI (Special Investigation Team) at Chennai.

Under Rule 4 A Conduct of Election Rules, it was mandatory to disclose all cases lodged against the candidate by way of affidavit in Form 26.

Mr Chellappa however, had wilfully supressed the sensitive case of planting a bomb in the Sri Meenakshi Amman Temple at Madurai, he contended.

The petitioner learnt one of the co-accused Venkatesh alias Sheikh Dawood Mustafa had given a statement under Sec 164 of CrPC in which he had categorically deposed that Mr Chellappa had instigated him to plant bomb in the temple.

despite this, Mr Chellappa was allowed to contest the election from the constituency, which may cause general fear and apprehension in the minds of the general public while exercising their franchise.

The conduct of the candidate showed his disrespect for election rules and hence should be disqualified from contesting the polls.

He had given a representation on September 25 to the Chief Election Commissioner in this regard but it was not yet considered, hence the present petition.

The petition was yet to be numbered.

UNI XR GM AKJ KP1854