Madras High Court Reinstates Appavu as 2016 Radhapuram MLA

The Madras High Court has delivered a significant ruling, reinstating Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) candidate M Appavu as the elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the Radhapuram constituency, covering the 2016 to 2021 term. Initially, Appavu had lost the seat to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) candidate, Inbadurai, by a narrow margin of 49 votes.

After a protracted legal battle spanning a decade, Justice G Jayachandran ruled in favor of Appavu, mandating the Election Commission of India (ECI) to substitute Inbadurai's name with Appavu's in all official documentation. Inbadurai has expressed his intention to appeal the decision, highlighting a discrepancy regarding the qualifications required for an official to validate election papers.

Inbadurai argues that the primary contention lies in whether a middle school headmaster qualifies as a gazetted officer. Despite the court's affirmation, he maintains that such authority was only granted by the ECI in 2021, post the disputed election. The Supreme Court's recent commentary suggested the case need not continue, but the Madras High Court proceeded, citing the absence of a stay order. This has prompted Inbadurai to pursue further legal action.

(With inputs from agencies.)