MCC applicable only to Thattanchavady constituency for October 6 bypoll in Puducherry

Chief Minister N. Rangasamy resigned from the Thattanchavady seat after retaining the constituency of Mangalam. | Photo Credit: KUMAR SS The Model Code of Conduct for Thattanchavady bypoll scheduled for October 6 will be applicable only to the areas pertaining to the constituency.As per instructions issued by the Election Commission of India in 2024 for by-elections in the country, the MCC will be applicable in the area of the concerned constituency only, an Election Department official told The Hindu.As per the schedule for by-election announced by the ECI on Monday, the notification for the Thattanchavady bypoll will be issued on September 9 and the last date for filing of nomination will be on September 16. The scrutiny of nomination papers will be done on September 17 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature will be on September 19. The polling will be held on October 6, and the counting of votes will be on October 9.The seat fell vacant after Chief Minister and All India NR Congress founder N. Rangasamy resigned from the Thattanchavady seat after retaining the second constituency of Mangalam that he won in the April 2026 Assembly polls. Mr. Rangasamy defeated his immediate rival E. Vinayagam of Neyam Makkal Kazhagam (NMK), a Puducherry-based political outfit which fought the 2026 Assembly polls in alliance with Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, by a margin of 4,441 votes. Mr. Rangasamay secured 10,024 votes while Mr. Vinayagam got 5,583 votes. The AINRC had already announced the candidature of former party legislator Ashok Anand from the seat. NMK had decided to field Mr. Vinayagam once again from the constituency.The Congress, which had fielded Lok Sabha Member and PCC chief V. Vaithilingam in the April polls, has not decided whether to enter the bypoll fray. Mr. Vaithilingam could garner only 2,990 votes, much below the number of votes gained by Independent candidate K. Sethu Selvam. Mr. Selvam had secured 3,984 votes in the polls. Published - September 07, 2026 11:00 pm IST