HC directs poll official's appearance on VCK leader's plea

The Madras High Court has directed the then returning officer to appear before it on January 20 with all the rejected 102 postal ballots in the election to the Kattumannarkoil Assembly constituency held in 2016.

Justice C V Karthikeyan gave the interim direction on Friday on an election petition by VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan, who lost the election by a margin of 87 votes petition.

In his plea, he prayed the court to set aside the election of the AIADMK candidate N Murugamaran.

"I am of the considered view that a decision can be rendered in the election petition only if the court peruses for its own satisfaction the 102 postal ballots which have been rejected by the returning officer," the judge said in his order.

Thirumavalavan in his petition, alleged on the date of counting the returning officer improperly and contrary to the rules disregarded a total number of 102 postal votes.

When questioned about the rejection of postal votes, the RO refused to provide any reasons, the VCK leader, who won the Lok Sabha election from Chidambaram in 2019, claimed.

Hence, with a view to somehow cook the results in favour of the ruling party candidate all the agents were sent out from counting stations, he claimed in the petition.