Court Setback For MK Stalin Over Poll Defeat In Stronghold Kolathur - ndtv.com

**Madras High Court rejects M.K. Stalin’s bid to overturn Kolathur loss**

*Chennai, Sept 3 2026* – The Madras High Court on Saturday dismissed former Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) supremo M.K. Stalin’s petition seeking a declaration that he was the duly elected representative of the Kolathur assembly constituency. Stalin, who suffered a surprise defeat to the candidate of the opposition TVK party in the recent state elections, had filed a writ petition alleging irregularities in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) used at several polling stations. The bench ruled that such allegations can only be pursued through an election petition under the Representation of the People Act, not via a writ petition, and therefore could not entertain his request.

In its written order, the court noted that the petitioner had not demonstrated any concrete evidence of EVM malfunction that would materially affect the result. It further observed that the proper statutory remedy—filing an election petition within 45 days of the election result—remains the exclusive avenue for contesting the validity of a poll outcome. The judges rejected Stalin’s claim that the verification process of the EVMs was flawed, emphasizing that procedural grievances must be raised before the Election Commission or the appropriate election tribunal, not the high court.

The decision marks a significant procedural setback for Stalin, who has hinted at filing an election petition in the coming weeks. Party officials described the verdict as “disappointing but not unexpected,” and pledged to pursue all legal options. Opposition leaders, meanwhile, hailed the judgment as affirmation of the rule‑of‑law in electoral disputes. With the next state assembly session slated to begin in October, the Kolathur episode underscores the growing reliance on judicial scrutiny in Tamil Nadu’s increasingly competitive political landscape.