Chidambaram's election upheld

The Madras High Court today upheld the election of Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram from the Sivaganga constituency in Tamil Nadu holding that no material fact had been placed on record to show that he violated the law during last year's Lok Sabha polls.

Dismissing a petition filed by losing AIADMK candidate S Karuppiah, Justice C Nagappan said the petitioner had failed to prove any fraudulent or improper declaration by Chidambaram while filing his nomination papers.

Karuppiah had challenged the election on the ground that Chidambaram had contested the election on the Congress symbol when he was still leader of the Congress Democratic Forum.

"There is no material fact to prove violation of any specific provision of law in the petition to show that Chidambaram was a member of the forum or not a member of the Congress on the date of filing his nomination papers," the judge pointed out.

Besides, the petitioner had not charged Chidambaram with any corrupt practice under the representation of the People's Act, the judge observed and dismissed the petition.

Chidambaram, who had polled more than 400,000 votes had defeated Karuppiah, his nearest rival, by a margin of over 162,000 votes.