Speaking to reporters, Chief Electoral Officer, Satyabrata Sahoo said that adequate EVMs and VVPATs are in place for holding the by-polls and Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu
Chennai: The Chief Electoral Officer, Satyabrata Sahoo on Sunday said that the Tamil Nadu's by-elections to 18 Assembly seats would be held on April 18 along with the Lok Sabha polls.
Briefing reporters in Chennai, the top state election official said that the by-polls were not scheduled for Tiruparankundram, Ottapidaram, Aravakurichi constituencies, which are also vacant, because of the Election petitions pending in the Madras High Court.
By-polls would be held in 18 constituencies of Poonamallee, Perambur, Thiruporur, Sholinghur, Gudiyatham, Ambur, Hosur, Pappireddipatti, Harur, Nilakkottai, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Manamadurai, Andipatti, Periyakulam, Sattur, Paramakudi and Vilathikulam.
Adequate EVMs and VVPATs are in place for holding the by-polls and Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu, Sahoo said.
Top district officials were being instructed to ensure strict compliance with the model code of conduct.
On March 19, the filing of nominations would begin and the last day for nominations would be March 26.
Scrutiny of nominations would be conducted on March 27, and March 29 shall be the last date for withdrawal of candidature.
The results for both Lok Sabha and Assembly by-polls would be announced on May 23.
Of the 18 seats, 16 had fallen vacant following the disqualification of ruling AIADMK MLAs loyal to TTV Dhinakaran.
The by-poll to Tiruvarur seat has been necessitated by the death of sitting member and late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi while the Hosur seat fell vacant following the disqualification of Minister K Balakrishna Reddy after his conviction by a court in over a decades-old criminal case.
The by-polls are considered crucial as it would have a bearing on the stability of the AIADMK government which needs to win a sizeable number of them to retain its majority in the 234-member House.
The AIADMK presently has 114 members while the DMK (88) and its allies together have 97 members in the Assembly with a vacancy of 21 seats, 18 of which fell vacant following the disqualification of rebel ruling party MLAs.
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.