The Election Commission on Thursday announced polls to the two constituencies where it had rescinded the election — Tamil Nadu’s Vellore Lok Sabha seat and Odisha’s Patkura Assembly seat.
The poll panel had rescinded the election in Vellore on April 16, two days before polling, following the seizure of more than Rs 11 crore that a complainant said was meant to influence the election in the DMK candidate’s favour.
Taxmen also raided Thoothukudi DMK candidate Kanimozhi, but found no unaccounted wealth.
The National Democratic Alliance candidate — industrialist and educationist A.C. Shanmugam, who stood on an AIADMK ticket — moved Madras High Court against the rescinding of the election on the ground that the President did not have the power the rescind the polls. The high court dismissed the plea.
The DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, including the Congress and the Left, swept the polls in Tamil Nadu, winning 37 out of 38 parliamentary constituencies and 13 out of 22 Assembly bypolls.
Vellore will vote on August 5.
In Patkura, Biju Janata Dal candidate Bed Prakash Agarwalla passed away on April 20, nine days before polling. The Assembly election in the Odisha constituency is now scheduled to take place on July 20.
