Madras HC seeks CEO's response on by-polls for Tiruparankunram and Tiruvarur

The Madras High Court on Wednesday sought to know from the state Chief Electoral Officer when the Election Commission proposes to hold the by-elections to Tiruparankunram and Tiruvarur Assembly constituencies.

The assembly seats had fallen vacant after the death of DMK leader M Karunanidhi (Thiruvarur) and AIADMK MLA A K Bose (Thiruparankundram). Hearing a Public Interest Litigation, a bench comprising justices K K Sasidharan and P D Audikesavalu here expressed dissatisfaction over the by-elections for the two constituencies not being held.

It asked the Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer what steps had been taken to hold the by-elections in the two constituencies. If any by-election schedule for the constituencies had been prepared, then the CEO could submit the same to the court, the bench said.

The petitioner submitted that the constituencies were without a representative for a long time and sought a direction from the court to the EC to conduct the elections.