Tamil actor Akshaya Hariharan claims someone cast vote in her name, seeks action

Akshaya Hariharan alleged that someone else cast a vote in her name during the Tamil Nadu polls, calling the incident "shocking." Sharing a video, she urged voters to stay alert and said she plans to file a complaint.

In Short

• Akshaya Hariharan alleged someone else voted in her name in Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026
• She discovered the issue at her polling booth in Adyar, Chennai
• Akshaya was told her vote was already cast, but the photo was of another person

Tamil actor Akshaya Hariharan has alleged that someone else cast a vote in her name during the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026, describing the experience as “really shocking”.

The actor said she realised the issue after reaching her polling booth in Adyar, Chennai, where she had travelled from Velachery to vote. According to Akshaya, she had not received her voter slip and later checked online to locate her booth.

In a video shared on X, Akshaya said she waited at the polling station for nearly an hour before being informed that her vote had already been cast. She claimed that the details on record matched hers, but the photograph belonged to another person.

"Hi, I am just here to say that someone else has already cast my vote. It is really shocking. My second name is Hariharan, so everything is correct on the paper, but only the photos are different. So they should have checked before, because how can someone else cast their vote for me?" she said.

She further alleged that a fingerprint had been marked against the entry, raising questions about verification at the booth.

Despite the issue, Akshaya said she was eventually allowed to cast what appeared to be a tender vote, though she expressed uncertainty about the procedure. She also questioned the handling of the process, saying it lacked transparency.

"I do not find it appropriate because it was just a paper, and they did not even seal it in front of me. No one had answers to my questions. It is really disappointing," she added, noting that she plans to file a complaint with the Returning Officer.

Watch the video here:

In a follow-up post on Instagram, the actor said the experience left her dissatisfied, adding that it “did not feel like I have really voted” since it was not done through an electronic voting machine.

She urged others not to miss voting, saying, “This is the best I could do though. Please do not waste your vote. You still have time.”

Here's the post:

Akshaya Hariharan is a Tamil actor and content creator who has gained visibility through social media and short-form video platforms. While not a mainstream star, she represents a younger set of regional digital creators who also take on acting projects. She is known for her work in Bloody Beggar (2024), Satya (2024) and Saba Nayagan (2023).

Meanwhile, several actors, including Rajinikanth, Vijay Sethupathi, Dhanush, Vikram, Khushbu Sundar, Sivakarthikeyan and Kamal Haasan, were seen at polling booths as voting continued across all 234 Assembly constituencies in the state of Tamil Nadu on April 23.

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