Election Commission officials have begun preliminary work to conduct by-elections in five Tamil Nadu Assembly constituencies, including Tiruchirappalli East.
Four seats—Madurantakam, Perundurai, Dharapuram and Ambasamudram—fell vacant after AIADMK MLAs who had won in the recent Assembly election resigned their posts and later joined actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), after taking oath.
Tiruchirappalli East also became vacant after Chief Minister Vijay resigned as MLA from the constituency, taking the total number of vacancies to five.
As elections must be held within six months for the vacant seats, the Commission has initiated preparations. State election officials are expected to travel to Delhi this week to consult Election Commissioners, and sources indicated that the bypoll notification may be issued in July.
With by-elections to five constituencies likely within a year of the Assembly polls—said to be a first in Tamil Nadu—political activity has intensified. TVK leadership is reportedly working on strategies to win, and ministers and officials have been instructed to prioritise resolving public issues in these constituencies.
