Chennai, August 25, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Madras High Court has directed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and Minister Aadhav Arjuna to file applications seeking dismissal of election petitions challenging their victories by August 27, warning that failure to meet the deadline could attract a ₹50,000 penalty for each.
Justice V. Lakshminarayanan issued the direction while hearing separate petitions challenging the election victories of Vijay from Perambur and Aadhav Arjuna from Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituencies.
DMK candidate R.D. Sekar and voters Dinesh and Lakshmi Narasimhan have filed separate election petitions questioning Vijay’s victory in Perambur. In another petition, DMK candidate Inigo Irudayaraj has challenged Aadhav Arjuna’s election from Tiruchirappalli East.
During the hearing, counsel for the Chief Minister sought two weeks to file an application seeking dismissal of the petition. The court declined the request, noting that it had already made clear during the previous hearing that no further extension would be granted.
Justice Lakshminarayanan referred to Section 86 of the Representation of the People Act, emphasising the need for expeditious disposal of election disputes. He noted that election petitions should, as far as practicable, be heard continuously and concluded within six months of being presented before the High Court.
Counsel representing Aadhav Arjuna also informed the court that the minister intended to seek rejection of the election petition against him and requested additional time. The court declined to grant the requested two-week extension in his case as well.
Both the Chief Minister and the minister have now been given until August 27 to submit their respective applications. The court made it clear that failure to comply with the deadline would result in a ₹50,000 penalty.
The cases are expected to come up again after the deadline, when the High Court will consider the applications, if filed, and determine the further course of proceedings.
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