Madras High Court Issues Notice on PIL Alleging Child Exploitation in Tamil Nadu Polls by CM Vijay

The Madras High Court sought responses from the ECI on a PIL alleging that the newly elected Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), used minor children for vote mobilization during the 2026 Assembly polls.

A vacation Bench questioned whether an entire political party could face disqualification under Section 100 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, as corrupt practices traditionally target individual winning candidates.

The petitioner claims Vijay’s April 21 campaign speech explicitly prompted minors to emotionally pressure parents into voting for TVK, violating strict ECI safety guidelines banning children from active political propaganda.

[Vasuki L v. Election Commission of India & Ors.]