Poll panel cancels Thiruvarur bypoll

The Election Commission has cancelled its election notification for the constituency that fell vacant after the death of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, putting off a high-stakes poll contest for Dravidian parties DMK and AIADMK just months ahead of parliamentary polls.

The Election Commission of India, in an order dated January 6, said electors in Thiruvarur will be able to send a representative to the state Assembly once the situation becomes “conducive” to hold polls, as the district administration was “pre-occupied with relief and rehabilitation works” in the aftermath of cyclone Gaja in mid-November last year. The bypoll was to be held on January 28.

The Election Commission had said in the order that state chief secretary Girija Vaidyanathan had written to the Commission on December 3 seeking to postpone elections in Thiruvarur and 18 other constituencies vacant after the Madras High Court upheld disqualification of AIADMK lawmakers who switched loyalties to TTV Dhinakaran in September last year to enable cyclone relief efforts.


After the Election Commission had announced the polls late last year, CPI national secretary D Raja had petitioned the Commission seeking postponement of the elections to avoid diversion of district administration machinery from cyclone relief efforts.