Karur Stampede | Actor Vijay's TVK Party Not Recognised Political Party: ECI Tells Madras High Court
The Election Commission of India, on Friday, told the Madras High Court that Actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party was not a recognised political party.
As per the ECI rules, for being recognised as a State political party, a party has to secure at least 6% of the valid votes polled and two seats in Assembly polls or one in Lok Sabha polls or have 6% valid vote-share in the last Lok Sabha elections from that state or at least 3% of the total number of seats or three seats, whichever is more, in the last Assembly elections or at least one MP for every 25 members or any fraction allotted to the state in the Lok Sabha or have at least 8% of the total valid votes in the last Assembly election or Lok Sabha election from the state.
The submissions were made before a bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan in a plea seeking to derecognise the party along with other relief. Advocate Niranjan Rajagopal informed the bench that TVK party was not recognised and hence, the prayer would not stand.
The bench has directed the Registry to place all matters, in connection with the Karur Stampede, before the administrative side of the High court, to constitute a bench for dealing with the cases, except those that are pending before the Supreme Court.
Though the petition was filed in the madurai bench of the Madras High Court, it was transferred and listed before the bench headed by the Chief Justice since the first respondent in the case was the Chief Election Commissioner.
The petitioner had also sought for altering the FIR filed in the case by including IPC Sections 304A,336-338,Sections 75 & 33 of the Juvenile Justice Act,along with Section 3 of the child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, against actor Vijay.
The petitioner, an advocate practicing before the Madurai bench argued that during the political rally that took place in Karur on 27th September, a large number of people, including children, infants, women and elderly persons had gathered in a congested venue and due to the gross negligence, mismanagement, and violation of lawful permissions, 40 people had died and many had been injured. It has been stated that the organisers of the meeting had grossly violated the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 21 and 21A of the Constitution, along with Directive Principles under Articles 39(e) and 39(f).
It has also been submitted that other provisions of law under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, and the Representation of People Act has also been violated by the organisers.
It was also submitted that the party has flouted the guidelines issued by the Bombay High Court in the decision of Chetan Bharatkumar Dhakan v. State of Maharashtra, which had held that minors should not be used in election campaigns and had directed the Election Commission of India to frame strict guidelines against the same.
The petitioner has also submitted that despite the legal provisions, the organisers had failed to prevent the participation of minors, women, and vulnerable persons in the meeting, thereby causing death by negligence under Section 304A of the IPC and acts endangering public life under Section 336, 337, and 338 of the IPC.
Thus, the petitioner has sought directions to the Election Commission of India to derecognise the party or deregister the party for its electoral misconduct and violation of fundamental rights and to strictly enforce the prohibition on use of children in political rallies and campaigns. The plea also asks for direction to actor Vijay to pay a minimum of Rs. 1 crore each to the families of the persons who lost life during the stampede.
The court noted that the relief, in connection with altering FIR against Vijay, would be effectively dealt with by the order of the Supreme Court directing CBI probe. With respect to the other reliefs, the court noted that all pending cases in connection with the Karur Stampede could be dealt with by the Special bench.
Case Title: C Selvakumar v. Chief Election Commissioner and Others
Case No: WP (MD) 28978 of 2025