Thrippunithura election: M Swaraj receives notice

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court has issued a notice to the opposing parties, including CPM candidate M Swaraj, in a petition filed by former minister K Babu MLA regarding the Thrippunithura election. Babu approached the Supreme Court against the finding of the High Court that the petition filed by Swaraj to cancel the election would stand. A bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi directed the opposing parties to file their position within two weeks. The matter will be taken up again on August 14.

Swaraj had demanded in the High Court that the election should be canceled as K Babu won votes by using a religious symbol. However, Babu claims that he did not get votes by using Ayyappan's picture. In the petition filed in the Supreme Court, Babu pointed out that Swaraj did not follow the procedures to be followed while filing election petitions. Swaraj had filed an interlocutory plea showing that no decision should be taken without hearing his side.