The Madras High Court has upheld the order if the Election Commission of India which cancelled the polls in the constituency of Vellore that was slated for the 18th of April 2019. A Division Bench comprising of Justices S. Manikumar and Subramaniam Prasad dismissed the petition filed by A C. Shanmugham, an AIADMK candidate contesting in the Vellore constituency and another independent candidate K.Sugumar which challenged the notification of the Election Commission that cancelled the election in the Vellore constituency.
The Election Commission found that the electoral process was vitiated on account of unlawful activities of a candidate from the DMK and felt that the atmosphere would have jeopardized the conduct of free and fair elections. The Bench while dismissing the petition said that the Election Commission which has the power to conduct elections also has the power to cancel the elections if it feels it necessary.
