Election commission cancels Tiruvarur bypoll over Gaja relief

CHENNAI: The election commission has called off the January 28 byelection to the Tiruvarur assembly seat after a report from the district electoral officer that the situation is not conducive as cyclone Gaja relief work is still underway. Most political parties in the state, except for the AMMK, had wanted the poll put off on the grounds that relief work would be affected once the model code of conduct came into force.

In a letter on December 3, chief secretary Girija Vaidyanthan too had requested the EC not to hold byelections in any of the 20 vacant constituencies in Tamil Nadu till April, the EC said in an official release announcing cancellation of the byelection. It would now be held in due course when the situation became conducive to a holding free, fair and peaceful election, said an order signed by chief election commissioner Sunil Arora and election commissioner Ashok Lavasa.

“The chief secretary in her letter apprised the commission regarding cyclone Gaja causing extensive damage to the standing agriculture and horticulture crops. Therefore, she requested not to hold the byelection in Tiruvarur constituency before April 2019. She also requested not to conduct byelection in those 18 assembly constituencies where vacancies are required to be filled by April,” said the order.

The EC sought the Union home ministry’s opinion on the time required for relief operation. The ministry explained the enormity of the damage, but said the state was in a better position to assess the timeframe for carrying out rehabilitation work, said the CEC.

‘School exams, Pongal festival will cause low voter turnout for bypoll’

The CEC also said CPI Rajya Sabha MP D Raja had requested the EC through an email to postpone the byelection in Tiruvarur due to the relief work in progress in the delta districts. “The CPI leader also called on the commission on January 3 and explained the situation in the delta districts. Following this, the EC directed the CEO to furnish a detailed report on the matter,” said Arora.

The DEO, apart from citing cyclone damage, also said on account of school examinations and Pongal festival, people’s participation in the bypoll would be low, the CEC said. On Saturday, at an all-party meeting convened by the district electoral officer, all parties including the AIADMK and the DMK had said the poll should be put off. The officer then sent a report to the election commission.