Chennai, June 1:
The nomination process to fill a vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Tamil Nadu commenced on Monday, setting the stage for the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to potentially secure its first representation in the Upper House.
The vacancy arose after AIADMK leader C. Ve. Shanmugam resigned from the Rajya Sabha on May 7, 2026, following his victory in the Mailam Assembly constituency. His exit has triggered the by-election, drawing significant political attention in the State.
With Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay-led TVK emerging as the single largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, the party is widely expected to win the seat comfortably. However, uncertainty remains over whether TVK will retain the seat for itself or allocate it to an alliance partner, particularly the Congress, which had extended crucial early support to the party during government formation.
According to Election Commission sources, nominations can be filed between June 1 and June 8, with scrutiny scheduled for June 9. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is June 11.
Polling, if required, will take place on June 18 from 9 am to 4 pm, with counting of votes set to begin at 5 pm the same day.