The Madras High Court has issued notice to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and State Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna on a batch of election petitions challenging their victories in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections.
Justice V. Lakshminarayanan directed issuance of notice in the petitions challenging Vijay’s election from the Perambur and Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) East Assembly constituencies, as well as Arjuna’s election from the Villivakkam Assembly constituency. However, the Court granted the petitioners one week’s time to cure procedural defects in certain election petitions, including deficiencies relating to affidavits and Form 25 prescribed under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 for allegations involving corrupt practices.
During the hearing, the Court orally questioned the non-compliance with the mandatory procedural requirements and remarked that such deficiencies should not have arisen, particularly when the petitioners belonged to experienced political parties. The Court made it clear that notices would be issued by the Registry only after the defects were rectified and observed that it did not want the petitions to be returned on technical grounds. Recognising that election disputes are required to be adjudicated expeditiously under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Court also permitted service of private notice in addition to the ordinary mode of service.
The election petitions relate to three Assembly constituencies—Perambur, Tiruchirappalli East and Villivakkam. Four election petitions have been instituted against Vijay, three challenging his election from Perambur and one questioning his victory from Tiruchirappalli East.
The Perambur election has been challenged by S. Dinesh, R.D. Sekar and T.N. Lakshmi Narasimhan. Sekar was the DMK candidate from the constituency. Vijay won the seat by a margin of 53,715 votes after securing 1,20,365 votes against Sekar’s 66,650 votes, according to the Election Commission of India. The petitions filed by Dinesh and Lakshmi Narasimhan have been listed subject to determination of their maintainability.
Vijay’s election from Tiruchirappalli East has been challenged by defeated DMK candidate S. Inigo Irudayaraj. Vijay had contested the 2026 Assembly elections from both Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East and emerged victorious in both constituencies. He later resigned from the Tiruchirappalli East seat, resulting in a vacancy and necessitating a by-election. In the election petition, Irudayaraj has alleged that Vijay suppressed material facts relating to pending criminal cases in his nomination papers, failed to disclose complete particulars of his election expenditure and indulged in corrupt practices by allegedly engaging children in his election campaign. The petitioner has sought a declaration that Vijay’s election from Tiruchirappalli East be declared void and that he be declared the returned candidate. He has also sought a stay on the proposed by-election, contending that conducting the election during the pendency of the election petition would render the proceedings infructuous. Election Commission data shows that Vijay secured 91,381 votes from Tiruchirappalli East, while Irudayaraj polled 63,965 votes, resulting in a victory margin of 27,416 votes.
Two separate election petitions have also been filed against Aadhav Arjuna’s election from the Villivakkam Assembly constituency by R. Sivaraj and Karthik Mohan. Arjuna secured victory by 17,302 votes after polling 66,445 votes, while DMK candidate Karthik Mohan received 49,143 votes.
The petitions assume political significance as they challenge the election of Vijay, who led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to emerge as the single largest party in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Polling was held on April 23, 2026, and the results were declared on May 4, 2026. TVK won 108 seats, falling short of the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member Assembly. The party subsequently secured the support of alliance partners, including the Indian National Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Indian Union Muslim League, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Communist Party of India, following which it staked its claim to form the government.
Under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the validity of the election of a returned candidate can be challenged only through an election petition before the jurisdictional High Court. Until the election is set aside by a competent court, the returned candidate continues to hold office and discharge official functions.
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