AIADMK invites application from candidates for May 19 by-poll

: The ruling AIADMK Friday invited applications from aspiring candidates to contest the forthcoming by-polls to the four assembly constituencies scheduled next month.

In a statement here, the AIADMK said the candidates have been directed to collect the application forms on April 21 by paying Rs 25,000 and submit the filled-in forms the same day.

The statement was jointly issued by AIADMK coordinator and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam and AIADMK co-coordinator and chief minister K Palaniswami.

The Election Commission had announced the by-polls to Sulur, Aravarkurichi, Thirupparankundram and Ottapidaram constituencies on May 19.

Of the 22 vacant Assembly seats, by-polls were held to 18 constituencies, along with the Lok Sabha elections on April 18, while the remaining four on May 19.

The Sulur seat fell vacant in March following the AIADMK MLA R Kanakaraj's death owing to a cardiac arrest.

Ottapidaram constituency is represented by disqualified AIADMK MLA Sundararaj while Thiruparankundram legislator A K Bose (also AIADMK) died last year.

Aravakurichi is represented by Senthil Balaji, a disqualified AIADMK legislator who has since joined the DMK.

Earlier, the DMK had moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the poll panel for holding the by-elections to Tiruparankundram, Ottapidaram and Aravakurichi.

The EC had told the court that it would hold the polls within a reasonable time.