Madras HC dismisses poll irregularity pleas against TN CM Vijay, DMK's Udhayanidhi Stalin, BJP's Tamilisai Soundarrajan

The Madras High Court on Wednesday dismissed a batch of pleas seeking scrutiny of alleged discrepancies in election affidavits filed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK chief Vijay, former Deputy Chief Minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin and BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan..The Court had earlier sought responses from the Election Commission of India, the Income Tax Department and other authorities in the matter.A Bench of Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan today dismissed the petitions..The pleas had raised questions over the correctness of disclosures made by the candidates in Form 26 affidavits filed along with their nomination papers for the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, 2026..In the plea concerning Vijay was filed by one V Vignesh, who alleged that the actor-politician had filed two separate Form 26 affidavits from Perambur and Tiruchi East constituencies with inconsistent asset disclosures.Vijay, who contested the elections through his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), later went on to become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.The petitioner had alleged that Vijay declared movable assets worth ₹224 crore in the affidavit filed from Tiruchi East, while the affidavit filed from Perambur showed movable assets valued at ₹105 crore.It was argued that the difference of over ₹100 crore had not been properly disclosed in one of the affidavits.The Court had earlier orally observed that such an allegation, if correct, would amount to an irregularity and had sought responses from Vijay, the Election Commission and the Income Tax Department..In the case concerning Udhayanidhi Stalin, the petitioner, R Kumaravelu, had sought an independent probe into alleged discrepancies between the assets declared by Stalin in his 2021 and 2026 election affidavits.The plea alleged disappearance of previously declared assets, unexplained variations in loans, contradictions between affidavit disclosures and corporate records, and mischaracterisation of financial transactions.IT department had later filed an affidavit highlighting some discrepancies. .In the case concerning Tamilisai Soundararajan, the petitioner, Goutam Siva, had alleged discrepancies in income disclosures that arose when her 2026 Assembly election affidavit was compared with disclosures made during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.Soundararajan’s counsel had opposed the petition as frivolous and argued that any challenge to a candidate’s election must be brought only by way of an election petition under Section 80 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.The Court has now dismissed all three pleas.