The Election Commission on Sunday announced the schedule for bypolls in 18 of the 21 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu to be held along with the Lok Sabha elections on April 18, in the second phase of the seven-phase polls.

Tamil Nadu has 39 Lok Sabha seats while the Assembly has 235 seats.

The constituencies of Poonamallee (SC), Perambur, Thiruporur, Sholingur, Gudiyattham (SC), Ambur, Hosur, Pappireddippatti, Harur (SC), Nilakkottai (SC), Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Manamadurai (SC), Andipatti, Periyakulam (SC), Sattur, Paramakudi (SC) and Vilathikulam will go to the polls.

Byelections will not be held in Thiruparankundram, Aravakurichi and Ottapidaram since cases are pending in various courts.

Eighteen of the 21 seats fell vacant on September 19, 2017 after Tamil Nadu assembly speaker disqualified 18 MLAs supporting rebel AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran, just two days before a high court deadline for a floor test by chief minister Edapaddi Palaniswami.

In October last year, the Madras high court upheld the disqualification of the 18 MLAs under the Anti Defection Law.

The AIADMK which had recently tied up with the BJP and the PMK had earlier announced that its alliance with the two parties will be valid for the bypolls.

First Published: Mar 10, 2019 20:35 IST