Chennai, September 15 (Daily Kiran) : The Madras High Court has dismissed an election petition questioning the victory of K.A. Sengottaiyan, Tamil Nadu‘s Revenue Minister, in the Gobichettipalayam assembly constituency. Justice G.K. Ilanthirayan delivered the ruling on Tuesday while hearing Sengottaiyan’s application to reject the petition filed by defeated AIADMK candidate Prabhu.
Sengottaiyan contested the assembly elections on a Tamilga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) ticket and emerged victorious. Following the formation of the TVK government, he was appointed as the state’s Revenue Minister.
Prabhu had challenged the election results in court, alleging that Sengottaiyan’s nomination papers lacked proper legal verification. He claimed that the notary lawyer who certified the documents had let his license expire before submission.
Prabhu argued that the returning officer should not have accepted nomination papers certified by a notary whose authority was allegedly no longer valid. He contended that this issue affected the legitimacy of Sengottaiyan’s candidacy and his subsequent election.
In response, Sengottaiyan filed an application seeking to dismiss the case without a full hearing. His lawyer argued that Prabhu’s claims were insufficient to uphold the election petition and that there was no legitimate basis for invalidating the results.
During the hearing, both parties presented extensive arguments regarding the election petition’s admissibility. Sengottaiyan’s legal team urged the court to accept their application and dismiss the electoral challenge at an early stage.
They contended that the allegations concerning the notary’s license could not, in themselves, invalidate his nomination or election. Conversely, Prabhu’s lawyer opposed the application, asserting that judicial scrutiny was essential concerning the verification of nomination papers, emphasizing that a valid dispute had been raised regarding compliance with election procedures.
After considering the arguments from both sides, Justice Ilanthirayan accepted Sengottaiyan’s application and dismissed the election petition filed by Prabhu. This ruling effectively concludes the legal battle against Sengottaiyan’s election, allowing him to continue representing Gobichettipalayam in the Tamil Nadu Assembly and serve in the state cabinet.
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