The Hindu (Tamil Nadu) ·
Madras High Court rejects plea challenging election of DMK whip E.V. Velu from Tiruvannamalai constituency
Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy allows applications filed by the former Minister to strike off the pleadings and reject the election petition
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.
