In a major setback to expelled AIADMK MP O Ravindranath, the Madras High Court on Thursday declared his election from the Theni Lok Sabha constituency in 2019 as “null and void”. A petition was moved by a voter alleging that the lawmaker had suppressed facts about his income, reports The Indian Express.
A single-bench of Justice SS Sundar gave Ravindranath, the elder son of former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, a month’s time to appeal against the verdict.
Ravindranath was pitted against EVKS Elangovan of the Congress and AMMK’s Thanga Tamilselvam and won by a margin of 76,672 votes.
He was expelled from the AIADMK in 2022 for anti-party activities following the rebellion by his father against E Palaniswami.
Kumar has been accused of concealing his income sources in his election affidavit and bribing voters. The petitioner, P Milany, a voter from Theni, testified that Kumar’s election affidavit excluded the salary he drew as a director at a private company and showed only agriculture and business as his income sources.