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7The by-election to the Thiruvarur Legislative Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu, slated for January 28, has been cancelled by the Election Commission (EC) to enable the State government and district administration to continue relief and rehabilitation work after cyclone Gaja battered the district in November.
The by-election was necessitated due to the demise of Thiruvarur MLA and former DMK president M Karunanidhi in August.
On Sunday, the EC sent a communication to the Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahu notifying the cancellation of the by-poll.
The EC said it’s notification issued on January 3, calling upon the said 168-Thiruvarur Assembly Constituency to elect a Member of Legislative Assembly, shall stand ‘rescinded.’
Consequently, all actions and steps taken by the Returning Officer of the constituency, District Election Officer of all other electoral authorities concerned are hereby declared as null and void, the communication said.
The damage caused
Tamil Nadu State Chief Secretary in a letter to the EC on December 3 said cyclone Gaja caused extensive damage to the standing agriculture, horticulture crops and livelihood of the people in 12 districts, including Thiruvarur. Around 6 lakh houses, 1.5 lakh electric poles, a large number of transformers and sub-stations have been damaged.
Thiruvarur was one of the districts that bore the brunt of the cyclone and will require three months to return to normalcy.
Therefore, she requested not to hold the by-election to the Assembly constituency.
There was also representation from various political parties, including the AIADMK, the Communist Party of India, the Bhartiya Janata Party, the Congress and the DMK, with requests to postpone the by-election, said the communication issued jointly by the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa.
The by-election for Thiruvarur will be held once the situation becomes conducive to hold free, fair and peaceful election, the communication said.
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