The Madras High Court on Tuesday (September 9, 2025) dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Advocate C.A. Venkata Sivakumar, who had sought sweeping directions against the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding alleged voter list manipulation during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The court not only rejected the petition but also imposed costs of ₹1 lakh on the petitioner, to be paid to the Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority.
Background
The petitioner, appearing in person, urged the court to order the ECI to "clarify its position" on allegations first raised by the Leader of the Opposition in a PowerPoint presentation on August 7, 2025, and later echoed by Union Minister Anurag Thakur in a press conference on August 13. Sivakumar's plea demanded that electoral roll data for all constituencies be made public in machine-readable format, along with details of inquiries, audits, and measures taken by the Commission.
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He argued that such disclosure was necessary to restore public confidence in the democratic process, citing constitutional provisions guaranteeing free and fair elections.
Court’s Observations
The bench, comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan, was unsparing in its assessment.
"The petition lacks concrete material and only refers to allegations and counter-allegations made on certain platforms," the Chief Justice observed.
"What is placed before us is nothing more than a reproduction of political claims, without independent research or factual backing."
The Judges further noted that the relief sought was "completely misconceived" as the court could not be used to compel the Election Commission to issue clarifications on political controversies.
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Decision
Dismissing the plea, the court said it would not engage in a "roving enquiry" based on vague assertions. The order concluded:
"No such direction to ‘clarify its position’ to the Commission, as has been sought in this petition, can be granted. Writ petition is misconceived and, accordingly, dismissed with costs quantified at ₹1,00,000 payable within one month."
The bench clarified that it was not expressing any opinion on the merits of the allegations themselves. It added that the order would not prevent the Election Commission from taking its own decisions on issues raised.
With that, the matter was closed, bringing an end to what the court described as a petition "lacking material details and particulars."
Case Title: Adv.(C.A). V. Venkata Sivakumar vs. Election Commission of India & Others
Case Number: W.P. No. 34108 of 2025
