M. APPAVU Vs. I.S. INBADURAI AND ORS.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Mr.A.E.Ravichandran, Learned Counsel for the Election Petitioner and Mr.T.V.Ramanujam, Learned Senior Counsel for the 1st respondent. For the respondents 2 to 14, there was no representation. Hence, called absent set ex parte. The Returning Officer, Radhapuram Constituency was initially arrayed as 15th respondent. Later struck off vide order dtd. 30/7/2019 of this Court passed in O.A.No.1185 of 2018.

(2.) This Election Petition is filed in respect of election held for Radhapuram Assembly Constituency, Tamil Nadu, on 16/5/2016. The Petition is filed under Sec. 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 98(c), 100(d)(iii), 100(d)(iv), 101, 64 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, read with Rule 24 (2), 54-A, 63, 66-A of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, read with 2 of the Rules of the Madras High Court Election Petition, 1967, by Mr.M.Appavu, the candidate who lost the election by margin of 49 votes to the 1st respondent.

(3.) In nutshell, the election of the Returned candidate is challenged on the following grounds:-