TTV Dhinakaran won the RK Nagar bypoll in December last as an independent candidate
In a relief to rebel AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran, the Madras High Court today upheld his election from the RK Nagar assembly constituency.
Justice G Jaichandran dismissed an election petition filed by an independent candidate, ML Ravi seeking the court's order to declare Mr Dhinakaran's election as "null and void."
Rejecting the plea, the judge said, "This court finds that the averments put forth in the election petition lacks material facts to form triable issues..."
The reading of the petition and the affidavit annexed to it does not make out any specific material fact which "specifically attributes to Dhinakaran any corrupt practice," the judge said.
Citing a Supreme Court order, the judge said TTV Dhinakaran should not be dragged to contest and "defend vague allegations based on reports of social media and press without any substantive and corroborative materials."
"Election petition rejected," the judge said.
TTV Dhinakaran had won the RK Nagar bypoll held in December last as an independent candidate on a "pressure cooker" symbol.
He defeated AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan by over 40,000 votes, dealing a blow to the ruling camp headed by Chief Minister K Palaniswami.
The byelection was held to fill the vacancy caused by death of then sitting member and former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on December 5, 2016.
TTV Dhinakaran subsequently launched his party Amma Munnetra Kazhagam in March this year.