Chennai, 17 October (H.S.): In a significant development concerning the political activities of actor Vijay, the Election Commission of India (ECI) informed the Madras High Court (MHC) that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is not an officially recognized political party.

This statement was made during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought to derecognize the party. The PIL, filed by C. Selvakumar, came in the wake of a tragic stampede on September 27 at a TVK rally in Karur, an incident that led to the deaths of 41 individuals.

The official submission was presented before the First Bench, consisting of Chief Justice M. M. Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan, by the EC’s counsel, Niranjan Rajagopal. Addressing the specific prayer in the petition that called for the party's derecognition, Mr. Rajagopal asserted that since the TVK is not a recognized entity, the request for its derecognition would not stand. This official statement clarifies the party's current status under electoral laws.

In parallel actions related to the tragedy, the bench issued a directive to the Registry to collate all matters connected to the September 27 Karur stampede and place them before the administrative side of the High Court. This move is intended to facilitate the constitution of a dedicated bench to handle these cases efficiently, excluding those already pending before the Supreme Court.

Furthermore, the PIL sought to fix liability upon the TVK leadership for allegedly mobilizing women and minor children unlawfully, demanding a minimum compensation of Rs 1 crore for each deceased person. The petition also called upon the ECI to strictly enforce its February 5, 2024, directive prohibiting the use of children and women in political rallies.

Regarding a separate prayer to alter the FIR filed against actor Vijay, the bench stated that this matter would be effectively addressed by the Supreme Court’s existing order, which has mandated a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the entire stampede incident.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary