R.K. Nagar Assembly constituency in Chennai is to vote on by-poll to be held on 21st December, it has been announced by the State Election Commission. Counting of votes would be taken up on 24th December.

The high-profile R.K. Nagar seat fell vacant last December with the unfortunate demise under highly mysterious circumstances of former Tamil Nadu chief-minister ‘Amma’ and ‘Puratchithalaivi’ J. Jayalalithaa. Close to a year has passed by since then but the seat is yet to be filled up. Nomination of candidates to contest the poll would commence from Monday (27th November).

The by-poll was to be held on 12th April this year but was cancelled at the eleventh hour after complaints of large-scale indulgence of cash-for-vote practice indulged in by leading parties surfaced. The issue of conduct of by-poll was later dealt with by the High Court of Madras which directed the Election Commission to conclude the poll process by 31st December.  The following is the by-poll schedule for R.K. Nagar:

•    Filing of nominations commences on: 27th November
•    Last date for filing of nominations: 04th December
•    Review of nominations: 05th December
•    Last date for withdrawal of nominations: 07th December
•    Polling on: 21st December
•    Counting of votes on: 24th December
•    Poll process to conclude on: 26th December.

In the meantime, DMDK’s deputy general secretary and party president Vijayakanth’s brother-in-law L.K. Sudeesh told newsmen yesterday that the Election Commission was acting only at the behest of the ruling BJP at the Centre. “DMDK would boycott the R.K. Nagar by-poll; symbol or no symbol, AIADMK would bite the dust,” he said.