Aravakurichi, Thanjavur polls to be held on November 19

The Election Commission on Monday announced the schedule to hold the Assembly polls to the Aravakurichi and Thanjavur seats, saying the notification will be issued on October 26 and the elections will be held on November 19. The counting would take place on November 22. The polls come at a time when AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is admitted to a hospital and may not be available for campaigning. 

In a first in India’s electoral history, the poll panel had on May 28 decided to rescind the notification and conduct polls afresh “in due course of time” to the Assembly seats following evidence of money being used to influence voters. 

Earlier, the EC had on two occasions postponed polls to the Aravakurichi and Thanjavur seats following reports of large-scale distribution of money and gifts to voters by candidates and political parties. Initially, the polls were postponed from May 16 to May 23.

On May 21, the Commission decided to once again postpone the polls to June 13. However, the elections were indefinitely put off on May 28. Tamil Nadu went to Assembly polls on May 16, in which the AIADMK returned to power for a second consecutive term.

The EC had then said it took the decision after considering reports of observers and special teams of central observers, report of the special team of observers of Aravakurichi and Thanjavur constituencies and representations of contesting candidates.

Meanwhile, the by-election to the Tirupparankundram constituency, which was necessitated by the death of winning candidate SM Seenivel of AIADMK, will also be held on November 19. 

The by-election for Nellithoppe Assembly in Puducherry would also be held on November 19. The by-election was necessitated following resignation of Congress legislator A John Kumar on September 15 to pave the way for Chief Minister V Narayanasamy to be electecd to Puducherry Assembly.