In Brief
A returned candidate challenged an election petition filed against him in a 2009 Parliamentary election on the grounds that pleadings were deficient. The court held that an election petition alleging corrupt practice must state full particulars, but does not require original documents if detailed dates, publications, rates and amounts are pleaded. Allegations on newspaper advertisements disclosed triable issues; allegations on public meeting expenses lacked proper pleading basis and were struck off; allegations about assistance from a transferred gazetted officer disclosed a triable issue; post-election issues became moot. The appeal was partly allowed and trial recommenced on surviving allegations.
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