Chief Electoral Officer gets notice in RK Nagar polls case

Justice M Duraiswamy before whom the petition filed by G Pravina, who had contested as an independent candidate in the recent Assembly elections from where Jayalalithaa was elected came up, directed the issue of fresh notice after it was informed that the notice was yet to be served on the CEO.

However, when the matter came up, the petitioner who appeared in person and sought the court to adjourn the matter till the recovery of the ailing Chief Minister. But Senior Counsel Navaneetha Krishnan appearing on behalf of the Chief Minister submitted there was no need for that since he is representing her.

The petitioner had alleged that the returning officer of the constituency had stalled her campaigning by failing to give permission and similarly obstructed the use of vehicles for campaigning in the constituency.

She has submitted that the vehicles used by her were detained at gun point by the police and her complaints to the CEO had failed to evoke any response. Claiming that the failure of the Election Commission to act on her complaints has affected her right to equality guaranteed under the Constitution and sought to declare the election as null and void. The case has been posted for further hearing to November 11. 

In another election, related petition, the first bench heard a plea that it is the bounden duty of the EC to look into the election expenses, even in a case where elections have been cancelled. The matter has been posted for further hearing to November 7.