Madras HC declares as invalid 2019 Lok Sabha election of expelled AIADMK member O P Ravindhranath
Chennai, July 6: The Madras High Court on Thursday declared as "null and void", the 2019 election of expelled AIADMK member O P Ravindhranath from Tamil Nadu's Theni parliamentary constituency while allowing an election petition filed against him.
Ravindhranath is the son of deposed AIADMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.
Justice SS Sundar gave the ruling on a petition filed by a one P Milany from Theni constituency.
According to advocate V Arun, counsel for Milany, the petitioner contended that Ravindhranath while filing his nomination for the election had suppressed various materials, including the particulars of his movable and immovable assets and liabilities, and those of his family members.
The suppression of facts materially affected the election, the lawyer said. Hence Milany filed the present election petition.
"Admittedly, in this case, as spoken by the Returning Officer, the nomination of 3rd respondent (Ravindhranath) was accepted by the Returning Officer on the date of scrutiny. On the date of scrutiny, the objection raised by a third party, Arappor Iyakkam, is a valid objection and the non-disclosure/false disclosure is admitted by the 3rd respondent himself by submitting an affidavit after scrutiny contrary to statutory provisions and the guidelines given in Hand Book for Returning Officer," the judge said.
"This shows that the Returning Officer, who was supposed to consider the objection on the date of scrutiny of nomination, failed to do that and has accepted the nomination without an explanation or correction. As a consequence, this court holds that the nomination of 3rd respondent has been improperly accepted by the Returning Officer," the court said.
The counsel appearing for Ravindhranath argued that the suppression has not materially affected the result of the election.
The court said the counsel had pointed out that the 3rd respondent won the election with a huge margin of 76,000 votes, and that his election in this case cannot be declared as void on the ground of suppression.
The judge said that the Supreme Court, in an earlier case, has rejected the contention of the returned candidate that under Section 100[1][d] of the RP Act, 1951, there must be proof that the result of the election was materially affected by improper acceptance of nomination.
"Suppression is proved. As a consequence, this court holds that the nomination of the returned candidate had been improperly accepted. In view of the conclusions reached above on all issues, this court has to allow the election petition and declare the election of the 3rd respondent/returned candidate as void."
"In the result, the Election Petition in ELP.No.4/2019 is allowed and the election of 3rd respondent/Returned Candidate on 23.05.2019 from No.33, Theni Parliamentary Constituency is declared as null and void," the judge ruled.
Immediately after his election as the then interim general secretary of the AIADMK in July last year, party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami had expelled his rival Panneerselvam and Ravindhranath among others from the party.
Palaniswami had later written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla that Ravindranath was no longer with the AIADMK and that he should not be considered as an MP representing the party.
In effect, the AIADMK is left with no Lok Sabha member as Ravindhranath was the lone successful party candidate in 2019 when the DMK and its allies swept the elections.
Ravindhranath had then defeated Congress veteran EVKS Elangovan.
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Accused gunman at correspondents' dinner was believed to be targeting top officials, Blanche says
Washington (AP): The accused gunman who tried to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with guns and knives travelled across the country before the event and is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday.
Blanche also said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where in recent days he checked in as a guest to the hotel where one of Washington's glitziest events was being held Saturday night.
Investigators have not publicly named the suspect, but two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter have identified him to The Associated Press as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
Law enforcement officials who have examined the gunman's electronic devices and his writings preliminarily believe he intended to target administration members in attendance at the dinner. He attempted to charge into the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a chaotic scene that resulted in shots being fired, President Donald Trump being hurried off the stage and guests ducking for cover beneath their tables.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC's “Meet the Press.”
The suspect is believed to have purchased the firearms he carried within the last couple of years, Blanche said. He is not being cooperative and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday.
Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was taken into custody and was not injured, but was being evaluated at a hospital, police said.
“He failed,” Blanche said on CBS's “Face the Nation.” “Law enforcement did their jobs.”
Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
A May 2025 profile photo of Allen appears to match the appearance of the man in a photo of the alleged attacker being taken into custody that was posted Saturday night by Trump. The photo, posted to the social networking site LinkedIn, shows him in a cap and gown after graduating with a master's degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Allen earned a bachelor's degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He listed his involvement there in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that battled with Nerf guns.
The shooting at the security barricades happened minutes after the event got underway.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the room as guests ducked under tables by the hundreds. Gasps echoed through the ballroom as guests realized something was happening. Hundreds of journalists immediately got on phones to call in information.
“Out of the way, sir!” someone yelled. Others yelled to duck. From one corner, a “God Bless America” chant began as the president was escorted offstage. Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.
After an initial attempt to resume the event, it was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
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