HC stays indirect polls to Mangalur PU 

S Suguna, one of the candidates for the chairman post moved the court claiming that returning officer was biased. She submitted that in the election to the said post held on January 11, the rival candidate E Malarvizhi and she got equal votes. 

In this circumstance, the returning officer(RO) has to conduct a lot as per Tamil Nadu Panchayat Election Rules, 1995. But without conducting the lot, RO had postponed the election by citing a reason as if one party did not accept the lot method, the petition claimed.

The petitioner also requested the court to direct the Election Commission to appoint another RO with adequate police protection and video coverage throughout the entire process till the declaration of result. Recording the submissions, Justice PD Audikesavalu, has stayed the election and asked the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission to file a counter on February 6.