Election Commission to decide soon on RK Nagar bypoll, says CEC

The Election Commission will soon decide on holding the by-election to the R.K. Nagar assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu which was cancelled on complaints of bribing of voters in April, CEC Nasim Zaidi said here on Tuesday.

The Commission, in consultation with the Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), was assessing the prevailing situation and looking at how it can devise a more effective strategy against bribing of voters, pending legislation.

"I think that assessment will be completed soon and the Commission will take a call," Zaidi told IANS.

The R.K. Nagar seat had fallen vacant after the death of Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.

The April 12 by-election, which was seen as a virtual battle for Jayalalithaa's legacy among the AIADMK factions, was cancelled after a large number of complaints were received about the alleged bribing of voters by T.T.V. Dinakaran, Deputy General Secretary of one of the AIADMK factions.

The Commission had taken the step under the overall powers given to it under Article 324 of the Constitution.

--IANS

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