The Madras High Court has strongly criticised the use of children in election campaigns and social media reels seeking votes for TVK chief Joseph Vijay and his party, TVK, in the run-up to the upcoming assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. The court described the practice as being in bad taste, reflecting poor parenting, and being politically motivated.
Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy made the observations while allowing an application by TVK MLA K Sivakumar seeking rejection of an election petition challenging his victory from the Salem North Assembly constituency.
However, the court held that exploiting familial relationships to influence voting choices does not automatically amount to undue influence under existing election laws. Drawing an analogy with children persistently demanding chocolates such as Kinder Joy, Vijay urged them to similarly pester their parents to vote for his party, asking them to do it for Vijay Mama (Vijay Uncle). The petition alleged that several social media reels subsequently emerged showing children pressuring their parents and grandparents to vote for TVK. Among the instances cited were a minor boy threatening to fling cow dung at a parent unless the parent voted for TVK, a young woman threatening to poison her father’s food, and a minor child threatening suicide unless the grandparents agreed to vote for the party. It also held that Vijay’s appeal, made in his capacity as party president, could not automatically be attributed to the constituency candidate or his election agent as a corrupt practice under the relevant statutory provisions.
It said Parliament should debate whether such practices must be prohibited and made grounds for setting aside an election. Vijay directly appealed to children to influence their parents and other family members to vote for TVK and its Whistle symbol, according to the election petition. “This is a larger debate for the nation and Parliament to consider, including whether to prohibit it or make it grounds to set aside the election,” the judge said.
