Centre leaves it to ECI to take a call on conduct of byelections to five constituencies in Tamil Nadu
The Indian government has deferred to the Election Commission of India regarding the scheduling of byelections for five vacant constituencies in Tamil Nadu. The decision follows legal arguments in the Madras High Court concerning the timing of these polls relative to pending election petitions.
Why it matters
The outcome will determine the political representation of five constituencies and sets a precedent for how election petitions impact the scheduling of future bypolls.
The Centre on Tuesday (September 29, 2026) informed the Madras High Court that it has decided to leave it to Election Commission of India (ECI) a decision regarding conduct of byelections to five vacant constituencies - Tiruchi East, Perundurai, Ambasamudram, Viralimalai, and Karur -- in Tamil Nadu.
Appearing before the first Division Bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan, Additional Solicitor General AR.L. Sundaresan said, he had received a two-page note from the Union Ministry of Law and Justice asking him to leave the case to be argued by the ECI.
Advocate General Vijay Narayan, representing Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretary, said, he cannot take sides and therefore, he too had nothing to argue on the public interest litigation petition filed by K. Venkatachalapathy of Tirunelveli for not conducting the bypolls until the disposal of related election petitions.
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