6 hrs ago
TVK Candidate Faces ECI Complaint Over Viral Election Spending Video
A video spread online during by-elections in Tamil Nadu.
In it, a woman appeared to say that ₹31 crore had been spent in an earlier election.
P Sathyabama, a candidate in the Dharapuram by-election, said she was not the woman in the video.
A politician from the DMK complained to the Election Commission.
He asked officials to check whether election spending had been properly recorded.
His complaint also referred to about ₹14 lakh for travel, hotels and other arrangements.
The article does not report the Election Commission's decision or a detailed response from Sathyabama to the spending claims.
A viral video appeared to show a woman claiming she spent ₹31 crore in a previous election.
P Sathyabama, the TVK candidate in Dharapuram, denied that she was the woman in the video.
DMK MLA S Austin filed a complaint with Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik.
Austin's complaint cited approximately ₹14 lakh for logistics and related election costs.
He asked election officials to verify expenditure records and consider action if spending was not disclosed.
- Who
- P Sathyabama, a TVK candidate, and DMK MLA S Austin, who filed the complaint.
- What
- Austin complained to the Election Commission over a viral video in which a woman was heard claiming ₹31 crore in election spending; Sathyabama denied being the woman.
- Where
- Dharapuram, Tamil Nadu; the complaint was handed to the Chief Electoral Officer at the Secretariat.
- When
- The controversy arose as bypoll voting took place on Tuesday; the article's embedded post is dated October 6, 2026.
- Why
- Austin alleged that campaign spending discussed in the video may not have been disclosed and sought an inquiry.
Complaint and allegations
Candidate's response
Who appears in the video
Complaint and allegations
DMK MLA S Austin cited the video as evidence that TVK candidate P Sathyabama discussed election spending.
Candidate's response
Sathyabama denied that she was the woman in the video.
Election spending disclosure
Complaint and allegations
Austin asked the Election Commission to investigate whether spending mentioned in the video was disclosed in the candidate's election expenditure records.
Candidate's response
The article reports Sathyabama's denial of being in the video, but does not report a response from her to the specific expenditure allegations.
Key facts
- Candidate
- P Sathyabama, TVK candidate in Dharapuram
- Amount in viral video
- ₹31 crore, described as spending during the general election
- Amount cited in complaint
- Approximately ₹14 lakh for logistics and related costs
- Complainant
- DMK MLA S Austin
- Recipient
- Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik
- Requested action
- An inquiry into expenditure registers and possible action if the cited spending was not reported
- Other bypoll constituencies
- Dharapuram and Madurantakam, both reserved Assembly constituencies
Quotes
Woman in the viral video, identified in the report as P Sathyabama
The woman heard speaking in the circulated video; Sathyabama denied that she was the person shown.
“Edappadi (Palaniswami, AIADMK general secretary) did not give a single paise.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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