Follow TNM’s WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a writ petition seeking a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the trust vote held in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on May 13, 2026, and a direction to impose President's Rule in the state pending such an investigation.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI), Surya Kant and Justice V. Mohan declined to entertain the plea filed by K.K. Ramesh, observing that it was founded on vague and unsubstantiated allegations.
"We have heard for a considerable length. This writ petition is based on casual allegations without any reliable material to substantiate the same. No ground of interference is made out," the apex court recorded in its order while dismissing the petition.
During the hearing, the CJI Kant-led Bench remarked that the petitioner would not be disappointed by the dismissal of one PIL given the number of Public Interest Litigations he had filed.
The top court said that the allegations levelled by the petitioner were vague and baseless, adding that no concrete material had been placed on record to support the claims.
In the absence of any credible evidence, no case for judicial intervention was made out, it observed.
The plea, argued by advocate Jaya Sukin, had sought directions to the Union government, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Tamil Nadu government to order a probe into alleged corruption and horse-trading during the Assembly floor test in which the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay secured a majority.
The petitioner alleged that several legislators from other political parties were induced through monetary and other benefits to support the TVK government during the trust vote.
He further claimed that the floor test was not conducted in accordance with democratic principles and sought dissolution of the Assembly and imposition of President's Rule until completion of a CBI investigation.
Referring to the Supreme Court's 2024 Constitution Bench judgment in the Sita Soren case, the petition contended that legislators accused of accepting bribes could not claim immunity under Articles 105(2) and 194(2) of the Constitution.
The plea also cited reports regarding divisions within the AIADMK over support to the TVK government and pending anti-defection proceedings arising from the trust vote.
However, finding no reliable material to substantiate the allegations, the Supreme Court refused to entertain the petition and dismissed it.