Chennai, April 28 (BPNS)

The Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed an election petition challenging the victory of Udayanidhi Stalin, son of Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin in the 2021 assembly elections.

Justice V. Bharathidasan of the Madras High Court dismissed a petition filed by Premalatha. R of Chepauk against the election victory of actor turned politician Udayanidhi Stalin who is the son of Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin.

The court while dismissing the petition said that there were no substantial materials that necessitate a full-fledged trial.

The judge agreed with the Senior Counsel N.R. Elango, representing Udayanidhi Stalin that the complaint by Premalatha was bereft of material evidences and hence should not be entertained by the court.

The MLA had filed an application in the court through senior counsel N.R. Elango stating that the petitioner had challenged his victory on various grounds such as making false statements including criminal cases pending against him and that he had indulged in corrupt practices. Udayanidhi Stalin in his prey before the court stated that in all the allegations leveled by the petitioner, there were no material particulars to substantiate her claim, and hence the petition is rejected.

Udayanidhi in his application said that he had disclosed details of all 22 criminal cases pending against him before various police stations in the state for resorting to public protests.  He also said that the petitioner had made a wild allegation against him that the presiding officer of the election was his wife’s former teacher.

The MLA in his application said, “ The petitioner has however not aver as to how that had affected the election. Having stated that the presiding officer acted in collusion with the applicant, the election petitioner did not state what is the collusion and what are the things done by me so that I could answer the same.”

The counsel for the petitioner, Shakthivel said that the deliberate and intentional filing of a ‘false affidavit’ had materially affected the outcome of the election and that therefore the court must declare the election of Udayanidhi Stalin as null and void after ruling that the acceptance of his nomination form was not in accordance with the law.

The single bench of the Madras High Court did not accept the argument of the counsel of the petitioner and rejected the petition challenging the election of Udayanidhi Stalin.