Actor Vishal, whose application to contest in the RK Nagar by-poll was rejected on Tuesday, sought the intervention of Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Lakhoni on Wednesday.

After meeting Lakhoni for about five minutes, he told media persons he will also represent his case to Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit.

The RK Nagar Election Office saw much drama yesterday when it was first announced that Vishal’s nomination papers had been rejected. The actor staged a protest and met with Returning Officer K Velusamy, after which he said his papers had been accepted. But late in the night, there was a formal announcement from the Election Office that his papers had been rejected.

According to the authorities, two of the 10 individuals who proposed Vishal’s name to contest as an Independent said their names were used without their knowledge. They denied signing the forms as well. Vishal maintains he has evidence to prove they were under duress to back out.

The actor caused a minor flutter in the Secretariat today, where he met Lakhoni. With news channel cameramen, journalists and photographers trooping in behind him, he submitted a petition and urged the officer to intervene. Lakhoni said he is familiar with the developments and would “look into it”.

The RK Nagar by-poll was necessitated by the death of its sitting MLA, former Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa.

Of the 145 nominations filed, only 72 were accepted by the Election Office.

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