Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has been issued a notice by the Madras High Court on a batch of election petitions challenging his victories from the Perambur and Tiruchy East Assembly constituencies in the April Assembly elections. The petitions question the validity of his election campaign and seek judicial scrutiny of the poll results. Justice V. Lakshminarayanan admitted the petitions on Tuesday and directed Vijay, founder of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), along with the Election Commission of India, to file their responses within three weeks.

While admitting the petitions, the court also pointed out certain procedural defects and directed the petitioners to rectify them before the matter proceeds further, according to legal reports. The challenge to Vijay's victory in the Perambur constituency has been filed by DMK candidate R.D. Sekar, who lost the election, along with two voters from the constituency, Dinesh and Lakshminarasimhan. A separate election petition questioning the result in Tiruchy East has been filed by DMK leader S. Inigo Irudayaraj, who also contested the Assembly election.

According to the petitions, Vijay allegedly violated election norms through his campaign speeches by making emotional appeals to children and encouraging them to influence their parents and other family members while voting. The petitioners have claimed that these appeals amounted to "blackmailing" children for electoral gain and have submitted a DVD containing Vijay's campaign speech delivered at Chennai's YMCA grounds on April 21 as part of the evidence.

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The petitioners have urged the court to examine whether the campaign speeches constituted an electoral malpractice under the provisions governing Assembly elections. They contend that the alleged conduct improperly influenced voters and affected the fairness of the electoral process. The Election Commission has also been made a respondent in the case as the constitutional authority responsible for conducting elections. The issuance of notice by the High Court does not amount to a finding on the merits of the allegations.

It marks the beginning of judicial proceedings, allowing the respondents an opportunity to present their defence before the court considers the issues raised in the petitions. The court will examine the evidence and legal submissions from all parties before deciding whether the election results warrant further action. Vijay, who entered active politics through the launch of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, secured victories in both Perambur and Tiruchy East in the April Assembly elections before assuming office as Chief Minister.

His electoral success marked a significant shift in Tamil Nadu's political landscape and established his party as a major force in state politics. The petitions are expected to be heard after the respondents file their replies and the procedural requirements identified by the court are addressed. The outcome of the proceedings could have legal and political implications, although the High Court has yet to examine the substantive merits of the allegations raised by the petitioners.

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