High Court restrains EC from conducting bye-polls in five Tamil Nadu seats

The Madras High Court on Friday restrained the Election Commission from notifying the bye-elections in five Assembly constituencies till July 31, Live Law reported.

The constituencies are Tiruchirappalli (East), Ambasamudram, Perundurai, Viralimalai and Karur.

The bench passed the interim order on a plea seeking that the constituencies not be declared vacant as election petitions challenging the poll results there are pending in the court.

The Tiruchirappalli (East) seat was vacated by Chief Minister Vijay as he retained Perambur, the other seat he had one. The other seats became vacant after the MLAs, who were elected in May, resigned.

The petitioner highlighted the possibility that if the bye-polls are held and the election pleas succeed, it would result in two MLAs having been elected simultaneously, Bar and Bench reported.

The court had earlier issued notices on the election petitions.

On Friday, the bench asked all respondents to file counter-affidavits. The matter will be heard next on July 31.

Edited by Nachiket Deuskar.
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