Allies of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu will contest the 2026 Assembly elections under the party’s rising sun symbol after the Madras High Court refused to grant interim relief against an Election Commission order derecognising their symbols.
In September 2025, the Election Commission of India (ECI) derecognised the symbols of 42 minor parties in the state for failing to contest elections under them for six consecutive years. In the 2021 Assembly elections, seven DMK allies, including the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK), the Tamizhaga Vaazhvurimai Katchi, and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, had contested under the rising sun symbol.
On February 18, a bench comprising Justices Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and G Arul Murugan declined to grant interim relief to parties that had moved the court seeking a stay on the ECI’s action. The court observed that granting interim relief would effectively amount to allowing the main petition itself.
The plea for interim relief was filed by the Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, the MMK, and the Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi, all long-time allies of the DMK currently engaged in alliance talks.
The petitioner parties have since approached the Supreme Court of India, with the matter posted for hearing in March. According to a report in the Times of India, the parties are likely to contest under the rising sun symbol again, acknowledging that timely relief from the apex court appears unlikely as election procedures are expected to commence by March.
Eight of the 15 DMK allies who contested under the rising sun symbol in 2021 went on to win seats.
Among them were MH Jawahirullah of the MMK, who represents Papanasam in Thanjavur district, and T Velmurugan of the Tamizhaga Vaazhvurimai Katchi, who represents Panruti in Cuddalore district. Both had secured victories under the DMK’s symbol.