High Court extends stay on 5 Tamil Nadu Assembly by-elections
The Madras High Court has extended its interim stay on the notification of bypolls in five Tamil Nadu Assembly constituencies.
The Election Commission told the court that it would not notify elections for Tiruchy East, Viralimalai, Perundurai, Ambasamudram and Karur while related election petitions remained pending.
The interim protection has now been extended until September 8.
The State government opposed the ECI’s position and sought an early hearing. The court also declined a plea from the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government seeking to lift the stay.
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay had won the Tiruchy East seat as well as Perambur in the 2026 Assembly election. He later vacated Tiruchy East, making a bypoll necessary.
In a separate legal development, DMK president MK Stalin has challenged the election of TVK candidate VS Babu from the Kolathur Assembly constituency.
Stalin, who had represented Kolathur previously, lost the constituency in the 2026 Assembly election. Babu won by a margin of 8,795 votes.
Stalin’s election petition cites alleged voting machine and VVPAT-related irregularities. He has sought a recount and asked the court to invalidate Babu’s election and recognise him as the winner.