Court May Impose Security Deposit on Candidates Contesting Fresh By‑elections

In a landmark petition before the Madras High Court, lawyers have urged the bench to order a mandatory security deposit from any candidate who files a nomination for a by‑election triggered by a legislator’s resignation.

The petition, lodged by advocate K. Suthan, argues that without such a financial guarantee, politicians can resign without justification, force costly re‑polls, and switch party allegiance at will. The request specifically targets the upcoming by‑polls in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, where former AIDMK members K. Maragatham Kumaravel and P. Satyanbama have resigned and joined the ruling TVK, now seeking candidacy.

The petitioner highlighted that the state treasury bears the additional expense of conducting a fresh election, a burden that could be mitigated if resigning legislators were liable to repay the money spent on their original campaign. The court’s chief justice led a bench that reserved its judgment, with a final ruling expected on September 24.