The Kerala High Court has formally requested a response from MLA V Kunhikrishnan concerning an election petition that disputes his victory in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections for the Payyannur constituency. This legal proceeding is titled TI Madhusoodanan v V Kunhikrishnan & ors. Kunhikrishnan, previously a district committee member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], was expelled following allegations regarding the mismanagement of the party’s martyrs’ fund. Subsequently, he ran as an independent candidate with backing from the United Democratic Front (UDF) and successfully defeated the incumbent CPI(M) MLA TI Madhusoodanan by a margin of 7,487 votes. This victory ended the CPI(M)’s longstanding dominance in Payyannur, which had persisted since 1967.
The defeated candidate, TI Madhusoodanan, has turned to the High Court to contest Kunhikrishnan’s election success. Justice G Girish has issued a notice concerning the petition, with a further hearing scheduled for September 8, 2026.
In his legal challenge, Madhusoodanan accuses Kunhikrishnan of engaging in corrupt practices during his campaign, which he argues should result in Kunhikrishnan’s disqualification under the Representatives of the People Act, 1951. Madhusoodanan seeks a court declaration that would render Kunhikrishnan’s election as void.
Besides Kunhikrishnan, the petition lists BJP candidate AP Gangadharan and independent candidate Sandeep VK as respondents. Legal representation for Madhusoodanan is provided by advocates MV Amaresan, SS Aravind, and Tinu Abraham.
