Tamil NaduSupreme CourtTVKGovernment FormationElections 2026
Supreme Court Petition Seeks Directive for Tamil Nadu Governor to Invite TVK to Form Government
Published: May 9, 2026
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A writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court directing Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar to invite TVK president C. Joseph Vijay to form the government, asserting that the Governor is duty-bound to call the leader of the single largest party in the absence of a pre-poll majority. The petition, filed by Chennai-based TVK member Ezhilarasi P. and represented by advocate A. Lakshminarayanan, cited the party's claim supported by a letter of backing from the Congress.
It argued that the Governor cannot demand proof of majority through 118 MLA letters before invitation, calling such a step a violation of the constitutional sequence established by the Supreme Court. The petition emphasized that the proper order is to invite, administer oath, and conduct a floor test immediately thereafter.
The petitioner warned that inviting a post-poll coalition without first approaching the single largest party would undermine electoral democracy and distort the people's mandate. Media reports suggesting the Governor may consider a coalition despite TVK's claim formed part of the petition's context.
The Supreme Court is expected to consider the matter at the earliest, with legal observers noting that gubernatorial discretion in hung assemblies remains subject to judicial precedent on constitutional propriety.