Chennai, Sept 7:
The Election Commission of India on Monday announced by-elections to two Tamil Nadu Assembly constituencies — Madurantakam (SC) and Dharapuram (SC) — with polling scheduled for October 6 and counting on October 9. The bypolls are part of elections to five Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and West Bengal and one Lok Sabha constituency in Assam.
The election notification for the bypolls will be issued on September 9, marking the formal beginning of the electoral process. Candidates can file their nominations from September 9 to September 16. The nominations will be scrutinised on September 17, while September 19 will be the last date for withdrawal of candidature. Polling will be held on October 6 and counting will take place on October 9. The entire election process will have to be completed by October 11.
In Tamil Nadu, the two constituencies going to polls are 35-Madurantakam (SC) and 101-Dharapuram (SC). The Madurantakam seat fell vacant following the resignation of Maragatham Kumaravel, while the Dharapuram seat became vacant following the resignation of P. Sathyabama. Both were elected in the 2026 Assembly elections before resigning from the House. The Madurantakam constituency is in Chengalpattu district, and official election records list it as Assembly Constituency No. 35.
The two bypolls assume political significance as they will be among the first electoral contests following the major political realignment in Tamil Nadu after the 2026 Assembly elections. The resignations of several MLAs and their subsequent political realignments have already altered the balance of power in the Assembly. Earlier reports had identified Madurantakam and Dharapuram among the constituencies where vacancies were created following resignations.
The other constituencies covered by Monday’s announcement are 09-Thattanchavady Assembly constituency in Puducherry, which fell vacant following the resignation of N. Rangasamy; 70-Reginagar Assembly constituency in West Bengal, following the resignation of Humayun Kabir; and 210-Nandigram Assembly constituency in West Bengal, following the resignation of Suvendu Adhikari. In Assam, the 09-Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency will also go to a by-election following the resignation of Pradyut Bordoloi.
The Election Commission said the electoral rolls in all the constituencies had already undergone the required revision process. In Tamil Nadu, the final electoral rolls for both Madurantakam and Dharapuram were published on February 23, 2026. The final roll for Thattanchavady in Puducherry was published on February 14, while the rolls for Reginagar and Nandigram in West Bengal were published on February 28. In Nagaon, Assam, the final electoral roll was published on February 10.
The Commission, however, made it clear that the electoral rolls will continue to be updated until the last date for filing nominations. Applications received up to 10 days before the last date for filing nominations will be considered on the basis of the applicable qualifying date. The poll panel reiterated that clean, accurate and updated electoral rolls are essential for free, fair and credible elections.
The bypolls will be conducted using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines at all polling stations. The Commission said the required number of EVMs and VVPAT machines had been kept ready and that necessary arrangements had been made to ensure smooth conduct of polling.
The Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) will be the principal identification document for voters. However, voters who do not produce the EPIC will be permitted to establish their identity using any one of the documents approved by the Election Commission.
The alternative documents include Aadhaar, MGNREGA job card, bank or post office passbook carrying a photograph, health insurance smart card issued under the Labour Ministry’s scheme, Ayushman Bharat health card, driving licence, PAN card, NPR smart card issued by the Registrar General of India, Indian passport and pension documents carrying a photograph.
Voters can also use photo identity cards issued by the Central or State governments, public sector undertakings and public limited companies to their employees. Official identity cards issued to MPs, MLAs and MLCs will also be accepted, along with the Unique Disability ID (UDID) card issued by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.