Poll process set in motion in Puducherry

Puducherry is all set for the November 19 by-elections.

Puducherry, Oct 26: The process for the November 19 by-election to the Nellithope Assembly constituency here was set in motion, with the Election Commission of India issuing the notification today.

Chief Electoral Officer V Candavelou said that the notification was issued today, setting in motion the process for the by-poll to the Nellipthope Assembly constituency. He said the nominations can be filed between 11 AM and 3 PM, and the last date to file the papers was November 2.

While scrutiny of nominations is slated for November 3, the last date to withdraw candidatures is November 5, he added. The Nellithope constituency fell vacant after the A John Kumar of the Congress resigned from the post of MLA on September 15, to clear the decks for Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who is a non-member of the House to contest and to become an elected member.

Narayanasamy (69) was sworn in as the tenth Chief Minister of Puducherry on June 6. Earlier, Narayanasamy had served as Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office in the second UPA government and as MoS Parliamentary Affairs in UPA-I.

Congress had a strength of 15 members and its ally DMK two in the 30-member Assembly before the resignation of John Kumar. Meanwhile, Opposition AIADMK has fielded Om Sakthi Segar, who was defeated in the May 2016 assembly polls by Congress nominee John Kumar.

The by-poll in Nellithope is slated for November 19. The counting of votes will take place on November 22, the official said.

PTI