BackLAW
Madras High Court seeks ECI reply on DMK minister’s one-vote loss to TVK
The Madras High Court, in a special sitting, directed the Election Commission of India to file an affidavit explaining why it had not responded to DMK leader KR Periyakaruppan's representations over a disputed postal ballot in Tiruppattur. The election in Tiruppattur was decided by a margin of one vote in favor of TVK's Seenivasa Sethupathi, prompting Periyakaruppan to challenge the results and seek relief. The hearing will continue on May 11 as the court examined the ECI's stance and the petitioner's plea for interim relief.
Why It Matters
A single postal ballot decision could alter the election outcome and affect legislative proceedings in Tamil Nadu. The case raises questions about the handling of postal ballots, the ECI's responsiveness, and the avenues for redress after results are declared.
Timeline
5 Events
May 11, 2026: Hearing to continue (reported May 10)
May 10, 2026
The court indicated it would continue hearing the matter on May 11, with the ongoing questions to the ECI about responses to Periyakaruppan's representations and the postal ballot issue.
May 10, 2026: Interim relief sought; court refrains from orders; hearing next day
May 10, 2026
Periyakaruppan sought an interim order restraining Sethupathi from participating in legislative proceedings, including the upcoming trust vote. The court refrained from passing any orders and stated it would continue hearing the matter on May 11.
May 10, 2026: Counsels' arguments; ECI's position discussed
May 10, 2026
Senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and NR Elango, appearing for Periyakaruppan, argued the issue is unique and could affect the outcome; Rohatgi likened it to a postman's mistake and said the disputed ballot could alter the result, potentially leading to a tie. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, for Sethupathi, opposed the writ petition and urged Periyakaruppan to pursue an election petition, while the ECI argued that since results were declared, only an election petition could resolve the matter.
May 10, 2026: Madras High Court special sitting directs ECI to file affidavit
May 10, 2026
In a special sitting on Sunday, a bench of Justices L Victoria Gowri and N Senthilkumar directed the Election Commission of India to file an affidavit explaining why it had not responded to representations filed by DMK leader KR Periyakaruppan over a disputed postal ballot. The court noted the issue concerns a single postal vote out of 2,275 and pressed for an answer to the representations, asking what the ECI would say about the misdirected ballot.
May 4, 2026: Tiruppattur results declared; Periyakaruppan challenges
May 4, 2026
In Tiruppattur assembly constituency, TVK candidate R Seenivasa Sethupathi won by 83,375 votes to 83,374 for DMK's KR Periyakaruppan, a margin of one vote. Periyakaruppan challenged the results announced on May 4, filing a writ petition that claimed a postal ballot had been mistakenly sent to a different Tiruppattur constituency and rejected there. He said he had addressed representations to election officers since the results and had not heard back.