Madras HC nixes OPS son's win in 2019 polls

The order was passed on the grounds of suppression of facts on assets & liabilities by P Ravindranath Kumar

- R SIVAKUMAR

THE Madras High Court on Thursday declared null and void the victory of P Ravindranath Kumar, son of deposed AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam, from Theni Lok Sabha constituency in the parliamentary election held in 2019 on the grounds of suppression of facts on assets and liabilities. Justice SS Sundar passed the order on a petition filed by P Milany, a local DMK functionary.

"... this court, from the facts as seen from the documents and evidence, finds that the Returning Officer has not conducted the scrutiny of nominations strictly in terms of Section 36 of the RP Act, 1951, and instructions given under the Hand Book. She has shown her partisan attitude in favour of third respondent (Ravindranath) at the time of scrutiny. As a consequence, this court holds that the nomination of third respondent has been improperly accepted by the officer," the judge said in his order.