Madras High Court junks election plea against Senthilbalaji

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has dismissed an election petition challenging the victory of Coimbatore South DMK legislator V Senthilbalaji, holding that the petitioner was neither a candidate nor a voter in the constituency.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh observed that the Representation of the People Act, 1951, does not allow any elector to challenge the election of a legislator from any constituency, warning that permitting such petitions would lead to numerous election disputes after every poll.

In the recently concluded Assembly election, Senthilbalaji secured victory by a margin of 2,271 votes over TVK candidate V Senthilkumar in Coimbatore South constituency.

The election petition was filed by K Prakasam, a resident of Modakkurichi in Erode district.

The court noted that Prakasam, a resident of Modakkurichi in Erode district, was neither a candidate nor a voter in the Coimbatore South Assembly constituency. Accordingly, the court dismissed the election petition challenging Senthilbalaji's election.