Chennai , 27 April (H.S.):The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking a probe into the financial disclosures made by actor-politician Joseph Vijay in his nomination affidavit for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay V. Gangapurwala Dharmadhikari and Justice Arul Murugan rejected the plea filed by Chennai resident MP Venkatesh, which alleged suppression and misrepresentation of financial details in Vijay’s Form 26 affidavit submitted for the Perambur constituency.
The petitioner had urged the court to direct a preliminary inquiry by multiple agencies, including the Income Tax Department, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and the Election Commission of India. He contended that the affidavit contained contradictory disclosures, particularly citing high-value financial transactions alongside a declaration of zero liabilities.
According to the plea, Vijay had reported extending loans worth several crores to family members and associated entities, including a loan exceeding ₹12 crore to his spouse, while simultaneously stating that he had no liabilities. The petitioner argued that such declarations were misleading and did not meet the statutory requirement of full and transparent disclosure under election laws.
Invoking Section 33A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the petitioner maintained that incomplete or inaccurate disclosures violated voters’ right to information under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. He also sought a time-bound inquiry and a status report before polling.
However, the High Court declined to entertain the plea and dismissed it without ordering any investigation.
The development comes even as a separate petition raising similar concerns remains pending before the court. In that case, notices were issued on April 20 to the Election Commission of India and the Income Tax Department over alleged discrepancies, including claims that over ₹100 crore remained undisclosed.
Vijay, who launched his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam in 2024, is making his electoral debut in the 2026 Assembly polls, contesting from Perambur in Chennai and Tiruchi East.
---------------
Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
