CHENNAI: The Madras High Court issued notice to Dayanidhi Maran in a petition seeking to declare his Parliamentary election win as null and void.
Justice N Anand Venkatesh issued notice to Election Commission (EC) and Dayanidhi Maran returnable by September 27 while hearing the petition moved by the president of Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi and advocate ML Ravi.
He moved the petition seeking to declare the election victory of Dayanidhi as null and void.
The petitioner relied upon Section 126 of the Representation of the People (RP) Act, 1951 all the election campaigning works before 48 hours of polling day, the DMK candidate of Central Chennai constituency advertised in all popular newspapers on the polling day in a way campaigning for his party, which influenced the voters, he said.
It was also submitted that the DMK candidate pasted stickers with his photograph, his party leader and symbol in the houses of the voters as a part of the campaign.
Further, the respondent involved in mass rally around the constituency he contested, however the expenditure for these campaign activities of Dayanidhi Maran was not reflected in his accounts submitted to the EC, which is in violation of section 77 (1) of the RP Act, said the petitioner.
It may be noted that Dayanidhi Maran won the Parliamentary election from Central Chennai representing DMK by securing more than 4 lakh votes.