The Madras High Court on Thursday, July 6, 2023 declared as null and void, the election of P. Ravindhranath Kumar, son of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, from the Theni Parliamentary constituency in 2019. The court, however, kept its verdict in abeyance for a month to enable him to go on appeal to the Supreme Court.
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Justice S.S. Sundar passed the orders on an election petition filed by a voter, P. Milany who had challenged the MP’s election on various grounds including suppression of his sources of income in the election affidavit submitted at the time of filing nominations, and also on the grounds of the alleged bribing of voters during the course of campaigning.
The verdict was delivered after a full-fledged trial during which the election petitioner and also other contestants including Thanga Tamilselvan had entered the witness box and adduced evidence. The witnesses were examined as well as cross examined by both sides before the judge heard arguments and delivered his verdict.
Immediately after he declared the election to be null and void, Senior Counsel A.K. Sriram, representing the MP urged the court to not give effect to its verdict for a period of 30 days and grant an opportunity to him to approach the Supreme Court. The counsel also cited a legal provision that empowers the court to do so.
Accepting his request, the judge ordered that his verdict shall not be given effect to, for a period of 30 days.
