SC to hear DMK plea seeking bypolls in Aravakurichi, Ottapidaram and Tiruparankundram

The Supreme Court to hear on March 15 a plea of DMK seeking direction for Election Commission to notify by-elections and publish schedule of elections in Aravakurichi, Ottapidaram and Tiruparankundram assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, along with other by-elections to be held on April 18.

"It is not a practice to stop elections in view of pending litigation. My question is what is the need to stop elections when there is no stay on polls in these seats," Stalin asked after a district functionary meeting in Chennai.

Voters in Tamil Nadu's 18 Assembly constituencies, where byelection will be held in April, would decide the fate of the Edappadi K Palaniswami-led AIADMK government, which is ruling with a thin majority in the Assembly whose strength has been reduced from 234 to 213. The AIADMK has 114 MLAs, excluding the Speaker, and has to win at least in about 10 seats to remain comfortably in power till the end of its term in 2021.