Madras High Court rejects plea challenging election of DMK whip E.V. Velu from Tiruvannamalai constituency
The Madras High Court has dismissed an election petition filed by a TVK candidate challenging the victory of DMK whip E.V. Velu in the Tiruvannamalai constituency. The court ruled that the petition lacked material facts and failed to provide grounds for a full trial.
Why it matters
This decision reinforces the legal standards required to challenge election results in India, preventing frivolous litigation from disrupting the democratic process.
The Madras High Court on Wednesday (September 16, 2026) rejected an election petition filed by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) candidate Arul Arumugam against the victory of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) whip and former Minister E.V. Velu from the Tiruvannamalai Assembly constituency this year.
Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy allowed two applications filed by Mr. Velu and concurred with the submissions of senior counsel P. Wilson that the election petition must be rejected at the threshold, as the plea does not disclose any cause of action requiring the conduct of a full-fledged trial.
In his first application, the returned candidate had urged the court to strike off from the election petition 57 paragraphs and 32 grounds. In his second application, he had pleaded for rejecting the election petition in toto, as the petitioner had not pleaded any material facts.
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