Radha Ravi wins dubbing union election, following rejection of Chinmayi’s nomination

Actor-politician Radha Ravi has been elected unopposed as the president of the South Indian Cine, Television Artistes And Dubbing Artists Union. The elections were originally to take place on February 15, before singer-dubbing artiste Chinmayi Sripada's nomination got rejected, leaving the former president unopposed.

Chinmayi took to Twitter to question this decision. She wrote, “Mr Radha Ravi has won ‘unopposed’ and they rejected my nomination, it seems. Despite the fact that my interim order says I have all the rights to be a member. I don’t understand how the Honorable Retired Justice Sri Ravi decided I am not a member when the Court says so.”

She also shared photos of the judgment, in which the reason cited for the rejection of her nomination reads, “(Chinmayi) is not eligible to contest as per the provisions of Election Rules and Bylaws of the said union.”

Chinmayi further criticised the decision of the election officer. She wrote, “The point of having an election officer is to make sure that the elections were conducted in a fair manner. And then said election officers decide I am not a member of the Dubbing Union based on whose orders? Mr Radha Ravi’s orders?” 

When we contacted her for comment, she said, "To be honest, I saw this coming. Radha Ravi's team was clearly enraged by my nomination. In fact, I was able to file my nomination despite their hinderances only because of the presence of media." She promised that she will be taking up the issue legally.

Notably, Chinmayi was ousted from the union after she shared sexual allegations against Radha Ravi during the #MeToo Movement. Her ouster was allegedly for not paying the membership fee. However, the singer filed a case against the union with the court declaring an interim injunction on her ban from the union.