Chennai: TN By-poll in six months to fill vacancies, says Chief Election Commissioner
However, the situation would be different if the MLAs decide to go to the Supreme Court with an appeal regarding the High Court's order, he said.
Chennai: The Election Commission will have to conduct by-polls in six months to fill the vacancies that have arisen in 18 Assembly seats in the state, if the Madras high court order upholding the disqualification of the MLAs becomes final and in the event of the said legislators not going on an appeal before the Supreme Court, Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat said on Thursday.
“If this order (of the Madras high court) becomes final there will be by-polls but suppose they (disqualified legislators) go to Supreme Court, it will be under the adjudication,” Mr Rawat said in New Delhi. Speaking to a television channel he said, “since the disqualification will create vacancies and whenever there are vacancies, we are required to hold elections (by-polls) to those vacancies within 6 months, so the Election Commission will see it from that angle.”
However, the situation would be different if the MLAs decide to go to the Supreme Court with an appeal regarding the High Court’s order, he said. “There will be by-polls but suppose they go to Supreme Court, it will be under the adjudication,” Mr. Rawat added.
Meanwhile, CEO, Satyabrata Sahoo was quoted by a television channel as saying that the ECI would be informed about the vacancies arising in the 18 Assembly constituencies once the Tamil Nadu Assembly Secretariat furnishes particulars in this regard. To a question he said that the by-election to the Tiruvarur and Tiruparankundram constituencies are likely to be held along with the Lok Sabha elections next year.
