Madras High Court declines to toss out petition against Thiruverumbur MLA’s win

Madras High Court on Monday declined to dismiss an election petition filed by former DMK minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi that challenges the 2026 victory of TVK MLA Vijayakumar alias Navalapattu Viji in Thiruverumbur constituency. Justice K. Kumaresh Babu noted that the Election Commission’s instruction prohibiting the use of children in election campaigns has statutory force, so the allegation that the MLA used children for his campaign can be examined only during trial. The judge therefore rejected Vijayakumar’s application to have the petition thrown out. Vijayakumar won the seat with 89,837 votes, while Mahesh received 81,132 votes, a margin of 8,705 votes. The court’s ruling leaves the petition alive, allowing the claim of violating the child‑engagement rule to be tested in court. ## Context The Election Commission’s child‑engagement prohibition is part of India’s Model Code of Conduct, designed to prevent the exploitation of minors in political campaigning.