Election Commission rejects TDP nominee nomination papers

Mallu Ravi nomination papers cleared

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) suffered a set back on Tuesday when the nomination papers of its candidate from Khanapur (ST) Assembly constituency, Ramesh Rathod was rejected by the Returning Officer on the ground that he was convicted in a criminal case. The TDP is now left with no alternative and finalized the candidature of Rathod's wife Suman Rathod who had filed her nomination.

The Chief Electoral Officer IV Subba Rao speaking to media said that Ramesh Rathod who is the Adilabad Zilla Parishad Chairman faced trial in a court under Section 352 of IPC for assault on a Forest Officer sometime ago and was convicted. A higher court suspended the punishment but retained the conviction.

Meanwhile, Congress received a similar jolt in Jedcherla Assembly constituency with poll officials initially rejecting the papers of Mallu Ravi on the ground that he was facing a criminal case for assaulting a Sub Inspector during elections to the local bodies in 2001. The EC cleared the nomination paper of Mallu Ravi. The Chief Electoral Officer said that Ravi was not convicted though he might have been facing trial and that only conviction would disqualify the polls. Nominations of 14 others were also rejected one in Adilabad and 13 in others elsewhere on technical grounds.