Madras high court dismisses EPS’s plea against probe into alleged false election affidavit

CHENNAI: Madras high court on Thursday dismissed a plea moved by Tamil Nadu opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami challenging a 2023 order which directed police to probe the allegation that he had provided incorrect information about his wealth and education in the affidavit filed for the 2021 assembly election.

Justice P Velmurugan passed the order while rejecting a criminal revision petition moved by EPS. The court directed him to cooperate with the investigation and bring the case to a logical conclusion.

The issue pertains to a complaint made by P Milany, accusing EPS of suppressing information regarding his assets and education in the election affidavit.

Challenging the order of the judicial magistrate, EPS contended that the complainant had no locus standi to file the complaint as she belonged to the Theni constituency while he contested from the Salem constituency. He argued that she was neither a rival candidate nor a voter from the Edappadi constituency to be aggrieved by the election affidavit filed by him.