HC dismisses BJP, TDP petitions on Tirupati bypoll

The High Court of Andhra Pradesh has dismissed the two petitions filed by the BJP and the TDP seeking cancellation of the April 17 Tirupati by-election. Both the parties have sought the nullification of the bypoll saying that the ruling YCP resorted to large scale use of bogus voters. The court held hearings on the petitions today and ruled that it would not be able to interfere with the election process at this juncture.

BJP candidate and retired IAS officer K. Ratna Prabha filed the first petition seeking a fresh notification for the election. Her advocates brought to the notice of the court that there was vide evidence to show how the ruling YCP leaders brought outsiders to vote in the Tirupati parliamentary constituency.

It was for the first time that Ratna Prabha contested in the direct election after she was retired as the Chief Secretary of Karnataka state. The BJP Delhi leaders have promised to give all their support to her candidature. Her election managers were also forced to complain to the Central Election Commission on the bogus voters problem. Finally, she filed the petition in the court.

The TDP also filed its petition and complained against the serious election violations resorted to by the YCP leaders. The Congress also made serious allegations against bogus voting but it did not go to the court.