Madras high court rejects plea to extend poll nomination deadline

Chennai: Madras high court on Tuesday dismissed a PIL seeking to extend the last date to file the nomination to contest in Assembly election for another four days.The petitioner, Chinna Maharaja, represented by his counsel V Sorimuthu, submitted that the filing of nomination began on March 30 and it was announced that the last date to file the nomination papers would be April 6. But, there were four holidays between the dates, barring Sunday. This became an impediment for many candidates to file their nominations on time, he said.Refusing to concur, the first bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan said Representation of People Act does not permit extension of the nomination date and dismissed the plea moved as a PIL.