One vote margin: DMK leader challenges election of TVK candidate

The Madras High Court on Sunday adjourned to May 11 the further hearing on the petition filed by former DMK minister KR Periyakaruppan, who sought to restrain the TVK candidate who defeated him in the election by one vote from taking oath as MLA. The DMK’s Tirupattur candidate for the April 23 Assembly polls moved the HC against TVK’s R Srinivasa Sethupathi, who won by just one vote.

A vacation bench comprising Justices L Victoria Gowri and N Senthilkumar, which heard the petition for over three hours in a special sitting, adjourned to Monday, further hearing of the case.

Raising certain queries, the bench directed the Election Commission to file an affidavit on May 11.

Periyakaruppan contested from the Tirupattur assembly constituency in Sivaganga district as a DMK candidate, while Srinivasa Sethupathi contested on behalf of TVK.

While Sethupathi secured 83,365 votes, Periyakaruppan secured 83,364 votes.

Srinivasa Sethupathi was declared elected by a margin of just one vote. In his petition, Periyakaruppan sought a recount of votes and also an interim order to restrain Sethupathi from taking the oath as an MLA.