The Election Commission has cancelled the January 20 bye-election to the Pennagaram assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu following demands from opposition parties that it be put off in view of Pongal festival. "We will not hold the Election (for the Pennagaram constituency) right now", Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla told reporters in Chennai.
The polls were necessitated due to the death of DMK MLA Periannan. The ruling DMK and its ally Congress had opposed the postponement on the ground that it would set a wrong precedent.
To a query,he said EC would not hold any talks with the State Government on the postponement of bypolls to Pennagaram. Chawla said the summary revision of polls in Pennagaram constituency would be taken up on January two or three.
Stating that nine of the 11 political parties in the state had sought postponement of the bye-election,Chawla said, "EC would issue fresh notification very soon".
He said the earlier announcement for conducting the Pennagaram bypolls would be "rescinded". Opposition parties including AIADMK and PMK had sought postponement as the dates fixed by the Election Commission coincided with the Pongal festival.
On compulsory voting proposed by the Gujarat government, Chawla said the issue had to be debated in Parliament.
Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta had convened a meeting of various political parties including DMK, Congress, AIADMK and PMK yesterday. Gupta had said "different views" were presented on the matter and a report would be sent to the EC following which it would take a decision. PTI
