The Madras High Court in the case P Milany v S Arumugam and Others observed and has declared the election of P. Ravindranath, who being the son of former Tamil Nadu CM O Paneerselvan and the sole Member of Parliament from the AIADMK party null and void.
However, the court kept the order in abeyance for a month in order to enable the appeal against the order.
P Ravindranath, being one of the candidates of the AIADMK-NDA coalition to succeed in the 2019 Constituency Election from Theni Constituency.
The bench headed by Justice SS Sundar in the case observed and has passed the order on an election petition moved by P Milany, a voter from the constituency, wherein it has been challenged the election of him on the ground of suppression of sources of income and bribing of voters.
It has been submitted by Milany before the court that the MP had mentioned only agriculture and business as his sources of income and has not disclosed the income that he received as the director of a private company.
Adding to it, he stated that the assets, the investments, sources of income, shares, financial loans and liabilities were suppressed in the affidavit filed by Ravindranath at the time of nomination. Milany had also submitted a CD containing video evidence, which is circulated during the election, allegedly showing voters being bribed.
Therefore, the plea has been filed by Ravindranath to dismiss the election petition. The court rejected the same.
However, Ravindranath appeared before the court and has denied all the allegations of misrepresentation and bribe.
The court in the case observed and has declared the election as null and void, the Senior Counsel AK Sriram, appearing for RAvindranath, submitted before the court to keep the order in abeyance till an appeal is preferred.
Further, the court acceded to this request and stated that the said order will be in abeyance within
the period of 30 days.
