CHENNAI: The ruling AIADMK has urged the Election Commission to conduct the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu in an early phase, preferably first phase, due to the drought in many districts due to the monsoon failure, examinations scheduled for students, etc.

The party has put forward this plea in a petition signed by party MPs and handed over to the top brass of the Election Commission by Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai.

Normally, the EC fixes the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections in nine or 10 phases and if the polling takes place in the later phase, the people would be put to hardship for various reasons, a senior 
MP told Express. He said the party had also urged the EC to conduct the polling in a single day as it happened in the past. 

On Tuesday, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said single day polling would be suitable for Tamil Nadu and it would be the AIADMK’s stand.