HC directs appearance of CEC in court

Madras High Court has directed the Chief Election Commissioner to be personally present before it after the EC's counsel failed to appear in an election petition matter despite repeated notices.
Justice M V Muralidharan passed the order yesterday during the hearing of the petition challenging the election of DMK candidate R Sakkarapani from Oddanchatram constituency in the May 16 assembly polls and adjourned the matter to January 9.
The judge directed the CEC, the District Election Officer and the Returning Officer, the second, third and fourth respondents respectively, to appear in person in the court.
When the petition by a voter of the constituency came up for hearing, Justice Muralidaran noted that there was no representation by the counsel for the CEC and the Returning Officer or personal presence despite serving of notice on August 11, December 7 and yesterday.

"...Even on 23.12.2016 (Friday), the respondents names were printed, but they have not appeared before this court for reasons best known to them.
"Therefore the above respondents 2 to 4, -- The Chief Election Commissioner, The District Election fficer/Collector, the Returning Officer/Assistant Commissioner (Excise) are hereby directed to appear in person before this Court," the judge said in his order.
Petitioner K Karuppasamy has challenged the election of Sakkarapani, alleging that the candidate had indulged in bribing of voters.
He had also suppressed certain facts in Form 26, while submitting his election papers. His nomination papers were incomplete, the petitioner contended and sought to declare the election of Sakkarapani as void.