SC rejects plea for CBI probe into ‘horse-trading’ post TN Assembly polls

The Supreme Court on Monday (October 26, 2026) dismissed a petition seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into allegations of “horse-trading” involving Tamil Nadu Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) general secretary N. Anand and four former AIADMK MLAs who shifted political allegiance to the ruling party after the State Assembly elections in May 2026.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant rejected the petition filed by Tamil Nadu resident M. Srinivasan, who alleged Mr. Anand and the four former AIADMK MLAs — K. Maragatham Kumaravel, S. Jayakumar, P. Sathyabama, and E. Subaya — had indulged in “horse-trading” to secure a majority in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Mr. Srinivasan, represented by advocate Achintya Tiwari, had sought directions for an investigation and the filing of a final report in a time-bound manner.

The petition had also sought the court to invoke its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to frame specific and stringent “rules” to prevent MLAs who have either been disqualified or have resigned from the Assembly without any “valid, material and justifiable” reason from contesting subsequent bypolls in the same constituencies.

The plea further sought directions to the Union government, the Election Commission of India and the State of Tamil Nadu to recover from the resigned MLAs the expenditure incurred for conducting the Assembly elections in their respective constituencies.

The petition also urged the court to direct the four former AIADMK MLAs to deposit the entire costs for the upcoming byelections in their respective constituencies.

TVK formed the government in the State with the help of the Indian National Congress, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, the Indian Union Muslim League, the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

During the ensuing floor test, 25 MLAs, including the four arraigned as respondents in the petition, had defied the party whip to support the TVK government.