RK Nagar bypoll should be conducted before Dec 31: Madras HC reiterates

The Madras high court on Tuesday directed the Election Commission of India to comply with its earlier order to complete the byelection process in R K Nagar constituency by December 31.

The bench had in its September 18 order directed the EC to conduct the by-election for the seat, lying vacant following the death of the Tamil Nadu chief minister the late J Jayalalithaa, preferably by December 31.

Making a pointed query as to why the constituency should lie vacant for nearly a year now, the first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar directed the ECI to start the bypoll process.

The RK Nagar by-election, which was earlier scheduled for April 12, was cancelled after allegations of bribery of voters.

The EC on Monday informed the Madras HC that it was not in a position to declare the schedule for the by-election to RK Nagar Assembly constituency in view of the pendency of two petitions related to the matter.

However, the AIADMK is yet to declare a candidate to contest the RK Nagar bypoll, sidelined party leader TTV Dinakaran has announced that he will be contesting it.

OneIndia News