Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam president Vijayakanth, who is in the United States for medical treatment, today slammed the Election Commission for announcing by-poll for Tiruvarur constituency and then cancelling it. In a statement, he said, "people neither demanded by-poll nor said no to it. Without understanding the damage caused by Gaja cyclone, the Election Commission had announced it recently and has cancelled it now." Stating that people are laughing at these announcements, he said the act of the Election Commission has made a mockery of democracy.
The Election Commission of India has announced that the Tiruvarur by-poll, which was slated to be held on January 28, has been rescinded. The decision has been taken based on a report by the District Collector and District Election Officer that Gaja cyclone relief works would be affected due to the implementation of the model code of conduct. In a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer, Malay Mallick, Secretary of Election Commission of India, said, "I am directed to intimate that the Commission has ordered on 6th January, 2019 that the Commission's Notification No. 100/TN-LA/1/2019 dated 3rd January, 2019, calling upon the said 168-Thiruvarur Assembly constituency to elect an MLA shall stand rescinded forthwith for the reasons stated therein.
Consequently, all actions and steps taken by the Returning Officer of the said 168-Thiruvarur Assembly Constituency, District Election Officer and election authorities concerned are hereby declared null and void. A copy of the Notification to be published in the Extraordinary Official Gazette of the State of Tamil Nadu is being sent separately."
