Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Legislative Assembly will issue a notification today (July 19) announcing the vacancy of the representative of the Puthuppally constituency, following the death of Oommen Chandy.
A copy of the notification will be given to the Election Commission of India. Following this, the Commission will begin preparations for conducting the by-election in the constituency within six months.
The usual practice is to conduct by-elections that are due in different States simultaneously.
The Puthuppally bypoll would be the second by-election in the State after the second Pinarayi Vijayan regime assumed office. Earlier, a bypoll was conducted in the Thrikkakara Assembly constituency following the death of P T Thomas, another Congress MLA. Thomas’ wife, Uma Thomas, emerged the winner with a majority of 25,015 votes in the contest.
Veteran Congress leader and former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy passed away on Tuesday.