Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a fresh petition seeking an enquiry by the Election Commission of India (ECI) into assets declared by actor and chief of the Tamilga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Joseph Vijay, for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan rejected the plea challenging the assets declared by the TVK chief.
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What the petition states
In the fresh plea filed by Chennai resident MP Venkatesh, questions were raised regarding "unexplained" entries in Vijay's election affidavit. Venkatesh argued that the lack of clarity regarding the "genuineness" of these transactions necessitated a formal enquiry by the ECI. According to the petitioner, the disclosure included:
Rs 12.6 crore loan: Granted to his spouse without specified terms.
Rs 20 crore transfer: Moved to a trust without a clear explanation of its nature or source.
The petitioner argued that the disclosures in Vijay's election affidavit reveal a systematic pattern of "financial obfuscation" and the suppression of material facts. He contended that these omissions effectively defeated the statutory requirement for "full, true, and meaningful disclosure" mandated under Form 26.
He alleged that the incorrect or incomplete information violated Section 33A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which required candidates to fully disclose their details. He added that such lapses should be punished under Section 125A for filing of false affidavits and said this affects voters' right to make informed choices.
Vijay disclosed assets worth over Rs 400 crore
In his election affidavit for the Tamil Nadu polls, actor-turned-politician Vijay disclosed movable assets totalling Rs 404.58 crore. The comprehensive filing provides a detailed breakdown of his financial portfolio, including significant bank deposits and strategic investments.
Notably, the TVK chief's luxury vehicle collection is a highlight of the document, featuring high-end models such as a BMW i7, BMW 530, Toyota Lexus 350, and a Toyota Vellfire, alongside several other automobiles and two-wheelers, as per India Today.
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