The bench of Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan noted that the Supreme Court had permitted Periakaruppan to withdraw the plea pending before the High Court after he filed an election petition challenging Sethupathi's victory. Taking note of this, the court allowed Periakaruppan to withdraw the plea and closed it.

Periakaruppan had approached the court seeking directions to the Chief Election Officer, Chief Electoral Officer and Principal Secretary to Government (Elections) Department, District Election Officer cum Collector (Sivagangai District), Returning Officer (No. 185 Tiruppattur Assembly Constituency), Returning Officer (No. 50 Tiruppattur Assembly Constituency) to secure the postal ballots that were wrongly sent to No. 50 constituency instead of No. 185 constituency and to account them in No 185 constituency.

Periakaruppan had also sought an interim injunction to restrain TVK's Seenivasa Sethupathi from participating in any legislative process in the 17th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly pending disposal of the writ petition. He had also sought direction to the Returning Officer for No 185 constituency to furnish the video footage of the mandatory reverification process in accordance with Clause 19.10.3 of the Handbook for the Returning Officer, 2023.

A special Sunday hearing was held to hear the matter on May 10. Periakaruppan argued that the matter required urgent attention since the trust vote for the Vijay-led TVK party was going to be held on May 12.

On May 12, the vacation bench of Justice Victoria Gowri and Justice Senthilkumar passed an interim order restraining Sethupathi from participating in the floor motion, including the confidence motion or the floor test. The court had observed that a strong prima facie case had been made out by Periakaruppan.

Soon after the High Court order, Sethupathi approached the Supreme Court challenging the interim order. The Supreme Court stayed the High Court's order, calling it “atrocious”.

Periakaruppan had later informed the Supreme Court that he wished to withdraw the plea pending in the High Court but was unable to do so since the interim order of the Supreme Court was pending. Following this, the Supreme Court discharged its interim order and permitted Periakaruppan to withdraw the plea. The Supreme Court also directed the High Court to issue formal orders for the same.

Today, the High Court allowed the request and upon orders of the Supreme Court, dismissed the plea as withdrawn.

Case Title: KR Periakaruppan v The Chief Election Officer and Others

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 333

Case No: WP 19287 of 2026