Tue Mar 04 06:46:55 UTC 2025: ## Madras High Court to Hear Election Petition Challenging Manickam Tagore’s Victory

**Chennai, March 4, 2025** – The Madras High Court on Tuesday refused to dismiss an election petition filed by V. Vijaya Prabhakaran, son of DMDK founder Vijayakant, challenging the victory of Congress MP B. Manickam Tagore in the 2024 Virudhunagar Lok Sabha constituency election.

Justice N. Sathish Kumar rejected applications by Mr. Tagore seeking dismissal of the petition and the striking out of several paragraphs deemed baseless. The judge ordered both parties to submit draft issues for the court to frame, paving the way for a full trial including witness testimonies.

Mr. Prabhakaran, who lost to Mr. Tagore by a narrow margin of 4,379 votes, alleges electoral malpractice. His petition accuses the Returning Officer of succumbing to pressure from ministers to favor Mr. Tagore, citing the distribution of a “guarantee card” as an example of bribery. Other allegations include improper acceptance of Mr. Tagore’s nomination papers due to undisclosed assets and criminal cases, booth capturing, and exceeding spending limits.

Mr. Tagore countered that the guarantee card was simply a reiteration of the Congress manifesto and that other accusations were vague and unsubstantiated. However, the court rejected these arguments, opting to proceed with a full trial to determine the veracity of the allegations. The Virudhunagar constituency saw a close three-way contest between Mr. Tagore, Mr. Prabhakaran, and BJP candidate R. Radikaa Sarathkumar.

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