WP/17679/2026 of S.LAKSHMANAN Vs The Chief Election Commissioner of India

W.P.No.17679 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 30.04.2026 CORAM : THE HONOURABLE MR. SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.ARUL MURUGAN W.P.No.17679 of 2026 S.Lakshmanan S/o.Late Subbiah, No.488, R.Palakurichy, Ponnamaravathy Taluk, Pudhukottai District - 622 407. Petitioner Vs 1.The Chief Election Commissioner of India Election Commission of India, Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road, New Delhi - 110 001. 2.The Chief Electoral Officer and The Principal Secretary to Government Public (Elections) Department, Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600 009. 3.The District Election Officer (DEO) and The District Collector The District Collectorate, Sivaganga District, Sivaganga - 630 562. ______________ Page 1 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.17679 of 2026 4.The Returning Officer and The Assistant Commissioner (Excise) 185-Tirupattur Legislative Assembly Constituency, Sivaganga District, Collectorate, Sivaganga - 630 562. Respondents PRAYER : Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of In dia seeking issuance of a writ of mandamus directing the respondents 1 to 4 to conduct fresh polling in the six hamlets, namely R.Ba lakurichy, R.Seegampatti, Regunathapatti, Vairanpatti, Vidathalamp atti and Gopalpatti, geographically situated in Pudhukottai District , and electorally a part of (185)-Tirupattur Legislative Assembly Constituency, Sivaganga District, and count the votes s o polled along with the scheduled counting on 4th May, 2026 as per th e Election Notification issued by the 1st respondent, so as to en sure effective participation of eligible electors, and to safeguard the c onstitutional right to vote based on the petitioner's representation date 27.04.2026 within such time frame as may be fixed by this Hon'ble Court. For Petitioner: Mr.V.Chandrasekaran Senior Panel Counsel for Mr.Niranjan S.Kumar For Respondents: Mr.Niranjan Rajagopalan Standing Counsel ORDER (Order of the Court was made by the Hon'ble Chief Justice) This writ petition, styled as public interest litigation, has been filed by the petitioner for issuance of a writ of mandamu s directing the respondents to conduct fresh polling in the six hamlets, namely ______________ Page 2 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.17679 of 2026 R.Balakurichy, R.Seegampatti, Regunathapatti, Vairanpatt i, Vidathalampatti and Gopalpatti, geographically situated in Pudhukottai District and electorally a part of (185)-Tirupattur Legislativ e Assembly Constituency, Sivaganga District, and count the votes s o polled along with the scheduled counting on 4th May, 2026 as per th e Election Notification issued by the 1st respondent, so as to en sure effective participation of eligible electors and to safeguard the co nstitutional right to vote based on the petitioner's representation date 27.04.2026. 2. The grievance of the petitioner is that the residents of R.Balakurichy, R.Seegampatti, Regunathapatti, Vairanpatt i, Vidathalampatti and Gopalpatti have been facing longstanding and continuing administrative hardships for several years on a ccount of their peculiar geographical and administrative situation, in asmuch as the said six hamlets are geographically contiguous to and socially and economically integrated with the areas falling within Pudukottai District, but for electoral and certain administrative p urposes have been attached to Tirupattur Legislative Assembly Constituency in Sivaganga District, thereby causing substantial inconven ience to the residents in accessing public services, administrative offices and developmental benefits. Due to this anomalous administr ative ______________ Page 3 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.17679 of 2026 arrangement, the residents of the aforesaid six hamle ts have represented to the authorities concerned that said ha mlets should be annexed or integrated with Pudukottai District so that the residents may receive efficient governance and timely administrative attention. All the villagers in the six hamlets collectively decided not to participate in the polling process during the Tamil Nadu Assembly Election, 2026 and, as a result, the entire number of elig ible voters as published by the Election Commission of India abstained fro m voting on the polling day. On 27.4.2026, the petitioner sent e-mail representation to the second respondent requesting to conduct fresh polling in the 3 booths situated in R.Balakurichy and Reg unathapatti for six villages. Despite the receipt of the representation, no adequate measures have been taken. Hence, the petitioner has filed the present writ petition. 3. The election for the Tamil Nadu Assembly Constituencies was held on 23.4.2026 and the declaration of results is scheduled on 4.5.2026. Once the election is over, exercising jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, no relief, muc h less the prayer as sought by the petitioner in this writ petition, can be granted. It is for the respondents to decide the representation in ac cordance with ______________ Page 4 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.17679 of 2026 law. We express no opinion. Accordingly, the writ petition is dismissed. No costs. (SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, CJ) (G.ARUL MURUGAN,J) 30.04.2026 Index : Yes/No Neutral Citation : Yes/No bbr To: 1.The Chief Election Commissioner of India Election Commission of India, Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road, New Delhi - 110 001. 2.The Chief Electoral Officer and The Principal Secretary to Government Public (Elections) Department, Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600 009. 3.The District Election Officer (DEO) and The District Collector The District Collectorate, Sivaganga District, Sivaganga - 630 562. 4.The Returning Officer and The Assistant Commissioner (Excise) 185-Tirupattur Legislative Assembly Constituency, Sivaganga District, Collectorate, Sivaganga - 630 562. ______________ Page 5 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.17679 of 2026 THE HON'BLE CHIEF JUSTICE AND G.ARUL MURUGAN, J. bbr W.P.No.17679 of 2026 30.04.2026 ______________ Page 6 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis