The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a fresh petition filed by a voter, seeking an inquiry into the financial disclosures made by actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar in his nomination affidavit for the Perambur constituency in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
The Bench of Chief Justice S A Dharmadhikari and Justice Arul Murugan rejected the plea filed by Chennai resident MP Venkatesh on the grounds that it was already hearing a separate petition raising similar concerns about discrepancies in two election affidavits submitted by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader.
In the previous matter, the High Court had issued notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Income Tax (IT) department on April 20 in connection with the undisclosed wealth of over Rs 100 crore in the Form 26 affidavit filed by Vijay for the Perambur seat. The case is pending before the High Court, awaiting response from the concerned authorities.
In the present plea, the petitioner alleged suppression and misrepresentation of key financial details in the official nomination papers. He sought directions for a preliminary inquiry by agencies, including the IT department, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), and the ECI.
The plea claimed that Vijay disclosed substantial financial transactions, such as loans worth several crores of rupees extended to family members and entities, while simultaneously declaring zero liabilities. According to the petitioner, this created contradictions that undermined the requirement of full and accurate disclosure under the election law.
The petition highlighted a loan exceeding Rs 12 crore to Vijay’s spouse and significant transfers to a trust, which were allegedly not adequately explained in terms of their source and nature. Such incomplete or inaccurate disclosures violated Section 33A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and infringed a voter’s fundamental right to make an informed choice under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, it noted.
The petitioner sought a time-bound preliminary inquiry along with a status report before the polling date. However, the High Court dismissed it.
Vijay, who launched his political party TVK in 2024, is making his electoral debut in the 2026 Assembly elections. He is contesting from two constituencies: Perambur in Chennai and Tiruchirappalli East in central Tamil Nadu.
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