Justice R M T Teekaa Raman disregarded the order passed by the JM, who acquitted the petitioner stating that the alleged offense could not have been committed without the cooperation of others.

Madras HC dismisses poll officer’s plea against punishment for allowing bogus votes
Kaushik Kannan | Sep 25, 2020, 20:59 IST
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MADURAI: The Madras high court dismissed a plea moved by a former election officer, who sought to set aside his punishment for permitting polling of 26 bogus votes in a booth, stating that election is the touchstone of the democratic process.
The bogus votes led to the wrong candidate being declared elected in the 2006 assembly election in Dindigul.
Petitioner A Jegarajan was posted as an election officer in a polling booth at Thirumalairayapuram in Aathur assembly constituency in 2006.
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Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him and a penalty was imposed by the disciplinary authority in 2007. A criminal case was also registered against him at Oddanchatram police station in 2006. However, the Dindigul JM-I acquitted him in 2009.
The petitioner’s appeal and review were dismissed by authorities in 2010 and 2013 respectively. Hence the petitioner moved the HC Madurai bench in 2014 challenging his punishment order.
Justice R M T Teekaa Raman disregarded the order passed by the JM, who acquitted the petitioner stating that the alleged offense could not have been committed without the cooperation of others.
The judge observed that the petitioner appears to have colluded with a political party and said that according to the evidence of the departmental witness, 26 voters have not even come to the booth.
The judge observed that the mere acquittal does not automatically entitle him to be discharged in the departmental proceedings. Hence, the punishment imposed by the disciplinary authority cannot be termed as excess.
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