Issue fresh notice to CM Vijay on election plea, directs Madras HC

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed that fresh notices must be issued to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and the Returning Officer, in an election petition challenging his victory from the Perambur Assembly constituency, after being informed that the earlier notices had not been served.

In the 2026 Assembly election, Vijay contested from the Perambur constituency and defeated DMK candidate RD Shekar with 1,20,365 votes. RD Shekar had secured 66,650 votes and the margin was 53,715 votes. Vijay had also contested from Tiruchy East and won. He retained the Perambur seat.

Aggrieved by the result, RD Shekar filed an election petition challenging Vijay's election. Separate petitions were also filed by two voters from the Perambur constituency, S Dinesh and TN Lakshmi Narasimhan.

In his election petition, RD Shekar alleged that Vijay had furnished contradictory information in his election affidavit and had failed to properly disclose his assets and pending criminal cases. He sought a declaration that Vijay's election be declared void.

When the matter came up for hearing before Justice V Lakshminarayanan, counsel Richardson Wilson, appearing for RD Shekar, submitted that notices had not been served on Chief Minister Vijay and the Returning Officer, who have been arrayed as respondents in the case.

Recording the submission, Justice V Lakshminarayanan directed that fresh notices be issued to Chief Minister Vijay, the Returning Officer and the other respondents, and adjourned the matter by two weeks.