Chidambaram to face trial in election petition

Mangalore Today /ITV

Madurai, June 7: The Madras High Court today declined to dismiss a petition challenging the election of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to the Lok Sabha in 2009 but struck down two charges of malpractices against him.
Disposing of a plea by Chidambaram seeking dismissal of the petition filed by AIADMK’s Raja Kannappan, who lost to him from Sivaganga constituency by a narrow margin of 3,354 votes, Justice K Venkatraman of the Madurai Bench of the High Court ordered removal of two of the 29 charges. 

 

The two charges pertained to alleged use of bank officials and banks in connection with Chidambaram’s election. 

The court, however, held that Chidambaram should face the case in respect of the other 27 charges. 

Kannappan, in his petition filed on June 25, 2009, had alleged that Chidambaram’s election ‘deserved’ to be declared void due to ‘manipulation’ of votes and ‘corrupt practices’ committed by him, his election agents and others, with his consent.

He had also sought recount of the votes polled in the entire constituency, particularly in the Alangudi Assembly segment.


BJP demands immediate dismissal of Chidambaram

In the wake of the Madras High Court refusing to dismiss an election petition against Home Minister P Chidambaram, BJP today said that he has no moral right to continue in office and asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to sack him immediately.
BJP President Nitin Gadkari made allegations against Chidambaram in the 2G spectrum allocation scam and the Aircel-Maxis deal, which have been denied by the Home Minister.

“What more evidence does the Prime Minister need? Is this not enough evidence? On moral grounds, Chidambaram has no right to continue in office. He should have resigned earlier.  We had boycotted him in Parliament yet the Prime Minister did not take it seriously,” Gadkari told reporters here.