CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has refused to dismiss the petition filed by an unsuccessful candidate seeking to nullify the victory of Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin from Chepauk-Triplicane constituency in Chennai in the 2026 Assembly polls.
Justice G Arul Murugan on Friday dismissed the application filed by the DMK leader praying for rejecting the election petition which was filed by P. Milany of Theni, challenging the poll victory of Udhayanidhi.
The judge directed the former Deputy Chief Minister, to file a counter-affidavit to the election petition and adjourned the hearing to December 11.
Udhayanidhi won the Chepauk-Triplicane constituency by securing 62,992 votes. His nearest rival D. Selvam of TVK secured 55,852 votes in the 2026 elections. Milany, who contested as an independent, secured only 30 votes.
During the hearing, he had contended that the election petition was barred by limitation since it was filed after the mandatory 45 days, as prescribed in the Representation of the People Act.
However, the election petitioner had submitted that he filed the petition well within the prescribed time limit and the Registry had accepted the petition and so, it cannot be rejected. He also prayed for a trial of the election petition.
