Vijay, EC, Opposition get court notices over ‘child vote influence’, cash-for-votes
HC seeks replies from CM, EC, and Opposition leaders by May 29 following a PIL detailing child exploitation and unaddressed electoral malpractices
The Madras High Court on Thursday (May 21) issued notices to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, the Election Commission of India (ECI), and top Opposition leaders following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition.
The plea sought a time-bound, independent inquiry into alleged electoral corrupt practices during the recently concluded 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, including the use of children to influence the electorate.
A summer vacation bench comprising Justices GR Swaminathan and V Lakshminarayanan sought responses from the ECI, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Tamil Nadu, DMK President MK Stalin, and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami by May 29.
Exploitation of minors for electoral gains
The PIL, filed by an advocate, L Vasuki, from Cuddalore district through her counsel Kanimozhi Mathi, centres primarily on an election campaign speech delivered by Chief Minister Vijay at the YMCA Grounds in Chennai on April 21—just two days before the state went to the polls on April 23.
Also read: Vijay and Dravidian politics: Is TVK Tamil Nadu’s next phase?
According to the petitioner, Vijay made an appeal to minor children, urging them to emotionally pressure and influence the adults in their families to vote for TVK. The petition argues that this tactic constitutes exploitation of minor children for electoral propaganda and indirect voter influence.
The speech quickly sparked widespread public debate. The petitioner highlighted that numerous videos subsequently surfaced on social media showing children actively pressuring parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and older siblings to cast their votes for TVK. Vasuki contended that such actions fall under the definition of "undue influence" and "corrupt practices" as outlined in Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
The controversy had already drawn regulatory attention prior to the court case, with the Tamil Nadu Commission for Protection of Child Rights previously flagging the political messaging and recommending legal action against the TVK chief.
Systemic cash-for-votes inaction challenged
Beyond the allegations against the chief minister, the PIL targets systemic electoral malpractices allegedly committed by the state’s primary political parties, the DMK and AIADMK.
Also read: Vijay's next frontier: TVK quietly begins Kerala expansion
The petitioner pointed to a formal representation submitted on April 22 by the anti-corruption organization Arappor Iyakkam to the Chief Electoral Officer. That representation demanded the rescinding of polls in the Alangulam, Mylapore, and Tirumangalam constituencies due to widespread and documented distribution of money to voters by DMK and AIADMK members.
In some areas, the bribery allegations even triggered public protests over the discriminatory distribution of cash. The petitioner alleged that despite substantial digital evidence, media reports, and public complaints being out in the open, the ECI and the CEO failed to initiate any effective or transparent inquiry.
"The inaction of the ECI and CEO in the face of widespread allegations affecting free and fair elections violates Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution and strikes at the basic structure doctrine," Vasuki stated in her plea, emphasizing that the regulatory bodies cannot plead ignorance given the volume of material available in the public domain.