Election of Shashi Tharoor, 3 others challenged in Kerala High Court

KOCHI: Petitions challenging the election of former union minister Sashi Tharoor and three others in recent Lok Sabha polls were filed today in the Kerala High Court.

Jose K Mani of Kerala Congress (Mani-Kottayam), Anto Antony (Congress-Pathnamthitta) and P Karunakaran (CPIM-Kasaragod) are the others against whom the election petitions were filed.

In his petition challenging Tharoor's election from Thiruvananthapuram, Aliyas John, Vizhinjam Motherport Action Committee President, contended the former minister had "wrongfully" claimed to have completed development project for Rs.2,500 crore in the constituency.

He claimed he possessed RTI documents to prove that the project worth Rs.1,170 crore out of the Rs 2,500 crore had not been undertaken by Tharoor.

Advocate Noble Mathew of BJP sought to set aside the election of Mani, whose party is a partner of ruling UDF, alleging he had indulged in corrupt practices.

According to the petitioner, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, during a poll convention of Mani, announced the dropping of the speed rail project on Kaduthurthy-Ettumanoor route, which has run into opposition from a section of people, and this amounted to violation of model code of conduct.

The declaration was made following the decision of a movement, spearheading the protest against the project, to announce a boycott of the elections, the petitioner stated.

According to the petitioner, the statement made by the Chief Minister amounted to 'bribery defined under Section 123(1) of the Representation of the People Act'.

Two petitions were filed against Antony by Manoj, CPI(M) District Committee member, and one Udaybhanu alleging that he had not disclosed his entire assets in the affidavit.

Defeated Congress candidate T Siddique moved the court against the election of Karunakaran from Kasaragod.