India's home minister faces trial
12:49AM Fri 8 Jun, 2012
India's Home Minister P. Chidambaram could face a civil trial over allegations that he broke voting rules during the 2009 general election, following a court ruling on Thursday.
In a fresh blow to the beleaguered government, the court in Madurai city in the southern state of Tamil Nadu refused to throw out charges lodged by the politician who lost the vote to Chidambaram.
The home minister, one of India's most high-profile public figures, is accused of "manipulating votes and indulging in corrupt practices" in the election, which was won overall by an alliance led by the Congress party.
"The court has accepted the arguments made by the petitioner. He (Chidambaram) has to face trial now," Sarvana Kumar, a lawyer representing petitioner Raja Kannappan, told reporters outside the High Court in Madurai.
Chidambaram, who is likely to appeal Thursday's ruling, has previously rigorously denied all allegations of corruption.
Chidambaram, a Congress politician who represents Sivaganga constituency close to Madurai, immediately faced calls to resign.
"I appeal to the prime minister to remove him from the cabinet," Nitin Gadkari, the leader of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, said in New Delhi. "Chidambaram has no moral right to be in his post."
The Congress-led government has been buffeted by corruption scandals since 2009, including the "2G scam" over mis-sold second-generation mobile licences and tainted contracts awarded for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
The culture of graft in Indian public life has touched a chord among many voters, with an anti-corruption campaign by activist Anna Hazare last year triggering huge rallies of support across the country.
(AFP) / 7 June 2012
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