Chennai, September 10: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has recognised actor-turned-politician Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) as a state party in Tamil Nadu and reserved the ‘Whistle’ as its election symbol in both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
The recognition follows TVK’s performance in the 2026 Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Assembly elections, in which the party won 108 of the 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu.
In a communication dated September 9, the ECI said it had examined TVK’s electoral performance and found that the party had met the criteria prescribed under Para 6A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
Accordingly, the Commission granted TVK recognition as a state party in Tamil Nadu as well as in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Under the Election Symbols Order, a political party can qualify for state-party status by meeting any of the prescribed conditions related to vote share and seats won in Assembly or Lok Sabha elections.
One of the criteria requires a party to secure at least six per cent of the valid votes polled in the state and win at least two Assembly seats. Another provision allows recognition if a party secures at least eight per cent of the valid votes.
The ECI also said the ‘Whistle’ symbol had been reserved for TVK in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry following the party’s request submitted on July 2, 2026.
The Commission added that a separate formal notification regarding the reservation of the symbol would be issued subsequently.
