Madras HC rejects plea challenging O Panneerselvam's poll victory

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has dismissed an election petition filed by voter T Kannan challenging DMK MLA O Panneerselvam's victory from the Bodinayakanur constituency in the recent Assembly elections, accepting a plea filed by the former Chief Minister seeking its dismissal.

O Panneerselvam, who contested on behalf of the DMK from Bodinayakanur, was declared elected after securing 85,206 votes. He won the election by a margin of 6,805 votes.

Challenging his victory, voter T Kannan of Bodinayakanur and another voter, P Milany of Chennai, had filed separate election petitions before the Madras High Court, seeking to declare O Panneerselvam's election invalid.

O Panneerselvam had also filed petitions seeking dismissal of the election petitions filed against him.

After hearing O Panneerselvam's petition seeking dismissal of T Kannan's election petition, Justice PB Balaji accepted his contention and dismissed Kannan's election petition.

Meanwhile, the election petition filed by voter P Milany challenging O Panneerselvam's victory is still pending before the High Court.