Cuttack, June 24: Orissa High Court has allowed an election petition filed by former minister Arabind Dhali over Malkangiri Assembly seat in which Dhali had lost to Nimai Chandra Sarkar of the Congress by 253 votes in 2004.

With that the court has declared the Malkangiri results as void. Under election laws, it is up to Election Commission to declare a seat vacant.