Overview
- The Madras High Court, which extended an interim stay on Friday, barred the Election Commission from notifying bypolls to Tiruchi East, Perundurai, Ambasamudram, Viralimalai and Karur until the court disposes of pending petitions.
- The injunction stems from a writ by K. Venkatachalapathy who argued that holding bypolls while separate election petitions are pending could produce a situation where two people claim to be the elected MLA for the same seat.
- The stay was prolonged because the Election Commission of India and the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly secretary had not filed the counter‑affidavits the court requested, so the case could not be fully heard.
- Seven assembly seats were declared vacant after resignations and party switches following a confidence vote, with six former AIADMK MLAs joining Vijay’s TVK and one vacancy tied to Vijay retaining a different seat.
- Former MLAs from Viralimalai and Karur have applied to vacate the stay arguing constituency facts and timing undercut the petitioner’s claims, and the court has kept the matter on calendar with the interim order extended to August 24, 2026.