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The Madras High Court, on Tuesday (August 25), warned that it would impose costs on Chief Minister Joseph Vijay and Minister Aadhav Arjuna for seeking adjournment for filing an application to reject the election petitions filed against them.

Justice V Lakshminarayanan said that the court was not bothered about personalities but only wanted to ensure that the election petitions are decided within 6 months.

“I'm not bothered about the personalities. You people say that election cases are not being decided. But then you are asking time. Election petitions are to be disposed of within 6 months,” the court orally remarked.

However, when the counsel assured the court that the rejection applications would be filed in a day's time, the court refrained from imposing cost and adjourned the hearing to August 27.

It may be noted that in July this year, the court had admitted election petitions challenging the victory of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Joseph Vijay, from the Perambur and Trichy (east) constituencies during the 2026 assembly elections. The court also admitted election petitions challening the victory of Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna from the Villivakkam constituency.

While permitting private notice in the case, the Judge had emphasised that election petitions were required to be decided as expeditiously as possible, within 6 months.

Later, both Aadhav Arjuna and the Chief Minister had informed the court that they intended to file applications for rejecting the election petitions. When the case was taken up previously, the court had granted two weeks' time and had asked the parties to ensure that the applications are filed within time.

When the matter was again taken up today, the counsel for Vijay and Arjuna informed the court that the applications were ready but there was some delay in obtaining the signatures due to ongoing Assembly session. The counsel, however, assured the court that the applications would be filed within 2 days and requested the court to not impose costs.

Considering the request, the court adjourned the plea and refrained from imposing cost for the time being.

Out of the four election petitions against Vijay, three have been filed challenging his victory from the Perambur constituency, and one challenges his victory from the Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) East constituency. Two petitions have been filed challenging the current Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna's victory from the Villivakkam assembly constituency.

Case Title: R Sivaraj v Aadhav Arjuna and Others

Case No: ELP 49 of 2026

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