Image is for representational purposes only. Photo: Special arrangement.
A writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Friday (May 8, 2026) stating that the Tamil Nadu Governor is required to invite Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) President C. Joseph Vijay, as the leader of the single largest party, to form the government in the state and later prove majority on the floor of the House.
Also read | Tamil Nadu Government Composition Update
The petition filed by Ezhilarasi P., who said she is a member of the Chennai-based TVK party, cited media reports that Governor Rajendra Arlekar may invite post-poll coalition parties in Tamil Nadu to form the government.
The petition, filed by advocate A. Lakshminarayanan, said such a move by the governor would “sound the death knell for democracy” and go against the mandate of the electorate.
“Since no pre-election alliance has a majority, the natural first challenge is TVK as the single largest party, especially since it has already submitted a formal request with a letter of support to Congress. The governor’s job is to invite, not require full proof of a majority, before issuing an invitation,” the petition reads.
It said that requiring TVK to first produce letters out of 118 letters from MLAs before issuing the summons would reverse the constitutional order laid down by the Supreme Court.
“The proper sequence is to invite, swear in, and then immediately conduct a floor test,” the petition reads.
Published – 08 May 2026 22:19 IST
