In a significant legal victory for the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, stayed a Madras High Court order that had restrained MLA R. Seenivasa Sethupathi from participating in the state assembly’s floor test.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and Vijay Bishnoi termed the High Court’s intervention “atrocious,” questioning how a writ petition challenging an election result could be entertained when the standard legal remedy is an election petition.
The controversy stems from the razor-thin victory in the Tiruppattur constituency, where Sethupathi defeated DMK veteran and former minister KR Periakaruppan by a margin of just one vote. Periakaruppan had moved the Madras High Court alleging counting irregularities, specifically regarding a misplaced postal ballot. While the High Court had barred Sethupathi from voting in any proceedings where the House’s numerical strength was tested, the apex court has now frozen those restrictions, effectively validating Sethupathi’s participation in the democratic process.
Legal Reprimand and Political Impact
During the hearing, the Supreme Court bench expressed sharp disapproval of the High Court’s logic. Represented by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, Sethupathi argued that the interim stay was an overreach of judicial authority in legislative matters. The top court pointed out the procedural inconsistency: “The High Court says the remedy is an election petition and yet entertains the writ petition.” By staying all further proceedings currently pending before the Madras High Court in this matter, the Supreme Court has provided a major boost to the newly formed TVK administration.
The timing of the ruling was critical. The Vijay-led TVK government faced its crucial vote of confidence on Wednesday, which it successfully won with 144 votes. The support of 25 AIADMK MLAs proved pivotal in securing the government’s stability. With Sethupathi’s voting rights restored by the highest court in the land, the TVK has successfully navigated its first major legislative and judicial hurdle since the historic election win.