SC to hear DMK plea on TN Assembly by-elections on March 28

The Supreme Court Monday said it would hear on March 28 a plea filed by DMK seeking direction to the Election Commission (EC) for holding by-elections in three vacant assembly seats in Tamil Nadu.

The matter was mentioned for early hearing before a bench of Justices S A Bobde and Sanjiv Khanna.

The bench was told by the counsel appearing for DMK that the matter has been listed for hearing on April 8 but since the by-polls for other vacant 18 assembly seats was scheduled to be held on April 18, it should be heard as early as possible.

"List on March 28," the bench said.

On March 15, the apex court had asked the EC to respond to DMK's plea.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is seeking by-polls for Tiruparankundram, Ottapidaram and Aravakurichi assembly constituencies.

The DMK counsel earlier told the court that there are 21 vacant assembly seats in the Tamil Nadu but the poll panel has notified by-polls for only 18 seats.

The lawyer had said that by-polls on 18 seats are scheduled to be held on April 18 along with the Lok Sabha polls in the state.

The ECI's counsel had said that as per his instructions, by-polls for three seats were not announced as some election petitions were pending in the Madras High Court.

DMK has also made a representation to the poll panel for holding by-polls to the three vacant seats.

Tamil Nadu's Chief Electoral Officer had earlier said that by-polls are not scheduled for the Tiruparankundram, Ottapidaram and Aravakurichi constituencies as election petitions are pending in the Madras High Court.

The Ottapidaram constituency is represented by disqualified AIADMK MLA Sundararaj, while Aravakurichi is represented by Senthil Balaji, an AIADMK legislator who is now with the DMK.

Thiruparankundram legislator A K Bose died last year.